Durham Mayor Steve Schewel has ordered theaters, gyms and health clubs in throughout the city to close by 5 p.m. Friday in response to the rapid increase in coronavirus cases.

Schewel amended his March 13 state of emergency declaration for the city on Thursday night to include the closure of all gyms, fitness centers, health clubs and theaters. The restriction does not prohibit gyms, fitness centers and health clubs from “providing fitness or health instruction and programming through virtual access and streaming services to patrons, clients, and other members of the public,” according to the declaration.

Any gyms, fitness centers and health clubs that are being used to provide child care can remain open just to provide that service.

“This was not a decision that I took lightly, because I know people’s livelihoods are at stake,” Schewel said in a press conference Friday outside City Hall. “But peoples’ lives are also at stake. And if we don’t act now more peoples’ lives are at stake. Those societies that most successfully fought the coronavirus acted early.”

Local leaders are meeting daily and have not yet decided that a call for residents to shelter in place is needed.

Earlier this week, Duke University announced it was canceling its commencement exercises in May due to the pandemic. Of Durham County’s 35 cases as of Thursday evening, 26 are members of the Duke community. At least 15 are part of a group that traveled internationally before being tested for COVID-19.

As of Thursday, March 19, there were more than 130 cases of coronavirus in North Carolina.

Gov. Roy Cooper previously ordered the closure of all dine-in service for restaurants, which are still allowed to serve take out and drive-through customers. Cooper also ordered all North Carolina schools closed until at least March 30 to control the spread of the virus.

Gatherings of more than 100 people are banned, and public health officials also recommend no gatherings of more than 50 people. Residents are urged to practice social distancing, which is being at least six feet apart from another person.

Staff writer Dan Kane contributed to this story.

This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 7:02 AM.

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan

The News & Observer

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Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan is the Capitol Bureau Chief for The News & Observer, leading coverage of the legislative and executive branches in North Carolina with a focus on the governor, General Assembly leadership and state budget. She has received the McClatchy President’s Award, N.C. Open Government Coalition Sunshine Award and several North Carolina Press Association awards, including for politics and investigative reporting.