Jackson mayor issues stay-at-home order

City of Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued a stay-at-home order for all residents and businesses of the city on Wednesday. 

It will go in effect Friday at midnight and extend until April 17.  

"We have taken aggressive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the curve," the mayor said. "However, this is not enough as the number of cases is increasing exponentially."

The order comes on the same day positive cases of new coronavirus in the state surpassed 1,000. The numbers released Wednesday by the state Department of Health also show Hinds County - which includes Jackson - had the most number of cases of all counties in the state, at 90. 

It also comes on the same day that Gov. Tate Reeves announced a statewide shelter-in-place order, effective Friday.

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Hospitals open, gun shops closed

All essential businesses and services can remain open, according to the order. They include hospitals, clinics, grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, banks and laundromats. Restaurants are asked to maintain a carryout, delivery or drive-thru only policy. 

Residents will still be able to buy food and seek medical treatment, travel to their home residences and exercise as long as they abide by social distancing measures. 

Businesses ordered to close include "all places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, and all personal grooming and grooming businesses." That includes all malls, gun shops, bars and nightclubs, museums and parks, beauty salons, hair salons, and massage and tattoo parlors.  

The order also allows residents to provide help to those in need. Churches will be allowed to stay open as long as they limit services to 10 people or less. Funeral services will also be allowed under the same guideline. 

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The order will be enforced by the Jackson Police Department who will issue fines up to $300. The mayor said the order "is not meant to criminalize," rather "encourage safe public health practices." 

Lumumba said services will be available for the homeless in the city. They will not be prosecuted under the order, he said. 

Contact Justin Vicory at 769-572-1418 or jvicory@gannett.com. Follow @justinvicory on Twitter.