New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham closed all roads leading in and out of the city of Gallup to help prevent the spread of the novelcoronavirus .- Gallup's McKinley County has a little under a third of all COVID-19 cases in the state.
- Lujan Grisham closed Gallup's roads nightly from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., and limited vehicle capacities to two people per car.
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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has closed all roads in and out of the city of Gallup after it became a COVID-19 hotspot.
Lujan Grisham said in a statement on Friday that roads leading in and out of Gallup, a city of about 22,000 people, would be closed from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"Vehicles may only have a maximum of two individuals. Residents of the city should remain at home except for emergency outings and those essential for
Lujan Grisham made the decision to block the roads following a request from Gallup's outgoing mayor Jackie McKinney and its new mayor, Louis Bonaguidi, who were concerned about a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases.
New Mexico has reported 3,513 COVID-19 cases and 131 deaths from the virus. Gallup's McKinley County has 1,064 of the positive COVID-19 cases, which is nearly a third of the state's total case count.
"The spread of this virus in McKinley County is frightful, and it shows that physical distancing has not occurred and is not occurring," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. "The virus is running amok there. It must be stopped, and stricter measures are necessary. A problem in one part of our state, with a virus this dangerous and this contagious, is a problem for our entire state."
Lujan Grisham has urged residents to stay home and socially distance.
"It is even more crucial for New Mexicans in the northwestern region. But what is happening in the northwest could happen in any part of our state. We must remain vigilant."
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