Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, speaks during a press conference at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, New York, U.S., on Friday, March 13, 2020.
Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty Images
New York City will not be quarantined, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday, trying to dispel rumors as cities and states ramp up efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
Cuomo said he wants to tamp down rumors that the city will be placed under lockdown similar to measures taken by public officials in Italy and China, which have the highest number of cases in the world.
“That cannot happen. It cannot happen legally,” Cuomo said at a news briefing, saying the mayor of New York City doesn’t have that authority and he doesn’t want to lock down cities. “No city in this state can quarantine itself without state approval and I have no interest whatsoever, and no plan whatsoever, to quarantine any city.”
San Francisco Bay area officials ordered some 7 million residents to “shelter in place” on…