Roads closed into Gallup New Mexico to mitigate 'uninhibited spread of Covid-19'

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/01/us/new-mexico-town-lockdown-coronavirus-trnd/index.html


All roads into the city have been closed, businesses must close between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. and vehicles can only carry two individuals, according to the governor's order. The governor is recommending that residents remain at home except for emergency outings and those essential for health and safety.

Lujan Grisham invoked the state's Riot Control Act to authorize these temporary restrictions. The move comes after the mayor requested the governor to declare a state of emergency in the city, according to a letter made public by the governor's office.
"I recognize this request is unusual and constitutes a drastic measure, and the emergency powers set out under the Riot Control Act should be invoked sparingly," Gallup Mayor Louis Bonaguidi wrote in his letter. "However, the COVID-19 outbreak in the city of Gallup is a crisis of the highest order. Immediate action is necessary."

Gallup is in McKinley County, which has 1,027 positive cases of Covid-19 as of Thursday. The county has more than 30% of the state's 3,411 cases and the most positive cases in the entire state, the governor's statement said.

------

"The spread of this virus in McKinley County is frightful," Lujan Grisham said. "And it shows that physical distancing has not occurred and is not occurring. The virus is running amok there. It must be stopped, and stricter measures are necessary."