Coronavirus In Philadelphia: Mayor Jim Kenney Instituting Stay-At-Home Order As City COVID-19 Cases Jump To 96

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has instituted a stay-at-home order as the number of coronavirus cases rose by 11, bringing the citywide total of 96. The stay-at-home order begins Monday at 8 a.m.

The order calls for no outdoor gatherings of any kind unless they are related to essential business.

"We recognize that these shifting restrictions have caused confusion or uncertainty, and for that we apologize," said Managing Director Brian Abernathy. "As I've said before, there's no playbook for this situation, and we're doing our best in light of the evolving health situation."

Changes in the new Stay at Home Order include:

• The City's emergency restrictions no longer end on Friday, March 27. To align with the Governor's order, the City's order remains in effect "until further notice."
• Under the order's Stay at Home provisions, all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited purposes permitted by this Emergency Order. This does not apply to activities related to Essential Businesses and Activities or Essential Personal Activities.
• All Philadelphia residents must remain home or at their place of residence unless they are engaged in essential personal activities that are spelled out in the order. Those activities include going out to purchase essential goods and food or seeking medical attention.

Kenney says that outdoor exercise with social distancing is permitted.

In Fairmount, Bar Hygee owner Stew Keener says he lost nearly 90% of his business in the last week, but still supports the new measures.

"It's the right thing to do. I think that the officials have done a pretty good job, doing their best to keep us open," Keener said. "Maybe employ a couple people, but also keeping everyone's health at the forefront."

Pennsylvania now has 479 COVID-19 cases with two reported deaths.

State health officials say approximately 47 patients have been hospitalized, which is around 10% of the cases.

Two drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites have been set up in our area, one outside of Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia and one at Temple University's Ambler Campus in Montgomery County.

For more on the coronavirus, click here.

CBS3's Matt Petrillo contributed to this report.

In:
• Headlines
• Philadelphia