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Oklahoma governor orders travelers from New York quarantined

by The Associated Press
| March 29, 2020 8:38 PM

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Customer Don McCombs, left, gestures to cashier Ialeah Johnson, right, through a plexiglass shield at a Homeland grocery store Friday, March 27, 2020, in Oklahoma City. Homeland and other stores have installed the shields due to concerns over the COVID-19 virus. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Sunday joined other governors in requiring air travelers from New York and other coronavirus hot spots to quarantine when travelling to his state.

Travelers who fly from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Washington state and Louisiana must self-quarantine for 14 days if they head to Oklahoma, according to Stitt's executive order. Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas and others have issued similar orders.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported Sunday that the state's death count from COVID-19 had risen to 16, an in crease of one over the day before. There are now 429 confirmed cases in 44 of the state's 77 counties, up from a total of 377 on Saturday.

The newest death is an Oklahoma County man aged 50-64, the health department said. Deaths are also reported in Cleveland, Tulsa, Pawnee, Wagoner, Sequoyah and Creek counties.

Counties where the virus is confirmed must comply with Stitt's "Safer at Home" order on that requires non-essential businesses to temporarily suspend services until April 16.

Groceries stores remain open.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.