Indiana’s governor is ordering restaurants and bars closed to in-person customers in another step toward stemming the spread of the coronavirus.
The order Monday from Gov. Eric Holcomb follows each of Indiana’s adjacent states taking the same step in recent days.
The governor’s office says 273 public school districts have decided to close to students and that the state education department is working with the 16 others to determine their next steps.
Indiana’s hospitals and surgery centers are being asked to cancel or postpone elective and non-urgent surgical procedures to help free up resources and personnel for possible virus illnesses.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 illnesses in Indiana reached 24 on Monday in 13 counties, according to the state health department. That is five more than reported on Sunday and double Friday’s number.
Governors in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky have ordered restaurants and bars to close, but those decisions are being left to the businesses in Indiana. State regulators in Indiana have closed all the state’s casinos and off-track betting parlors for at least two weeks.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
