Oakland Co. hold press conference as restaurant, gym closures will go into effect

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Officials in Oakland County are holding a press conference Monday afternoon to give updates about Gov. Whitmer's social distancing order that closes bars, restaurants, gyms and other public spaces later today at 3 p.m.

The press conference is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m.

Earlier today, Gov. Whitmer issued an order that temporarily closes theaters, bars, casinos and other public gathering spaces, and also limits restaurants to carry-out and delivery orders. You can see a full list of what's included and what's not included here. 

Meanwhile, as cases in Michigan have jumped up to 53, Gov. Whitmer said she, too, is working remotely from home or the office during this state of emergency.

"It will be shorter if everyone does their part," she said. "And that means the curtailing of community spread through best hygenic practices and social distancing and washing your hands."

Today is also the first day schools are officially closed in Michigan for the next three weeks. 

Just late last night, an additional 20 cases were confirmed positive in the state, bringing the total to 53. 

One of the latest cases includes a child in Oakland County who had contact with another person infected. Whitmer wouldn't elaborate on the specific age of the child but would say that he is in the K-12 age range.

"That is something that I think shows that no generation is immune from this," she said. "And that's why it's important to close the schools and take the additional action to try and mitigate the spread and keep the community safe."

Here is a current list of the 53 positive cases across Michigan right now:

• Oakland County: 13
• Wayne County: 12
• Washtenaw County: 7 
• Macomb County: 4
• Kent County: 4
• St Clair County: 2
• Monroe County: 1
• Ingham County: 1
• Montcalm County: 1
• Bay County: 1
• Charlevoix County: 1
• Ottawa: 1
• Unknown: 2 

Since the first cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Michigan on March 10, Gov. Whitmer has declared a state emergency, closed all schools, prohibited gatherings of more than 250 people, restricted visits to hospitals and other facilities, closed public spaces such as theaters, bars, gyms and casinos, and limited restaurants to carry-out and delivery orders.  

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu. 

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

RELATED: Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? Different viruses present similar symptoms

Right now there's one big difference between flu and coronavirus: A vaccine exists to help prevent the flu and it's not too late to get it. It won't protect you from catching the coronavirus but may put you in a better position to fight it.

To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.

And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.

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You can watch live in your FOX 2 app or on the FOX 2 Facebook page here.

You can also get the latest coronavirus news from around the country at coronavirusnow.com.