CLEVELAND — The city of Cleveland will remain under a state of civil emergency through at least the end of May, Mayor Frank G. Jackson announced Saturday.
The mayor signed an order extending the emergency proclamation, which was initially put in place back in March at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in Ohio. 931 Clevelanders have tested positive for COVID-19, with 40 of those people dying.
Jackson released the following statement:
"The fact that we continue to have new coronavirus cases in Cleveland every day illustrates why we must double down on our efforts to slow the spread - from staying home as much as possible to wearing masks in public to maintaining social distancing to washing hands frequently. Our hearts, prayers and thoughts continue to go out to all those affected by this pandemic."
City Hall confirmed 31 more cases of the virus on Saturday, ranging in age from children under 12 to seniors in their 100s. The city continues to have more total cases than all but seven whole counties in the state, but officials say roughly a third of those infected have since recovered and been released from isolation.
With Ohio slowly beginning to reopen, Jackson unveiled his "ReStart CLE" initiative earlier this week. The plan focuses on three principles:
- Minimizing the suffering and burden of people and businesses in our community who have been impacted by the coronavirus
- Better positioning all people and businesses in our community to be ready for and take advantage of the recovery
- Making sure all people and businesses are better off as a result of the recovery efforts we undertake so that we can become a more equitable community
In addition, the city has extended the deadlines for excise tax returns to July 20, with no interest or penalties added. These taxes include admissions, rental cars, parking, and occupancy.
