On 24 March 2020, officials in the U.S. city of Miami, Florida, imposed a mandatory shelter-in-place order in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), beginning at 2359 local time until further notice. The mayor of Miami urged residents to stay in their homes to the greatest extent possible and closed all parks in the city on 19 March before issuing the aforementioned mandatory order. Similar mandatory orders are in place in a number of U.S. states, including Hawaii (from 24 March-30 April); New Mexico (from 24 March until further notice); Oregon (from 23 March until further notice); West Virginia (from 24 March until further notice); Wisconsin (from 24 March-24 April). Residents in the aforementioned states traveling for essential purposes, such as obtaining basic goods — including food and medicine — and for work in sectors deemed essential, are exempt from the restrictions. Commercial establishments that are deemed essential — such as grocery stores and gas stations — will remain open; however, all nonessential businesses have been ordered to suspend in-person operations. Meanwhile, the states of Maryland, Nevada, Virginia and Kentucky have ordered nonessential businesses to close down, but did not issue stay-at-home orders. The U.S. has recorded at least 55,238 confirmed COVID-19 cases with approximately 800 fatalities; New York is the worst-affected state in the country, with more than 25,000 confirmed cases and at least 210 fatalities.