NEW YORK CITY — A state of emergency has been called for New York City.
Mayor Bill de Blasio declared the move at a press briefing Thursday afternoon as the number of confirmed cases in the city reached 95 - with more than 40 new diagnoses since the morning of the same day.
“These overall numbers are striking and troubling,” the mayor said.
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De Blasio also announced the legal occupancy of the city's bars and restaurants would be cut in half.
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Earlier in the day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo banned all events involving more than 500 people, shutting down Broadway shows, concerts and museums.
An emergency has already been called for New York State. It gives the mayor extra power and funds to deal with extreme situations.
According to the city's charter, among those powers are:
- The ability to institute a curfew.
- To restrict pedestrian/vehicular movement
- To close "places of public assemblage
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