BATON ROUGE - Along with closing down public schools for a month, Governor John Bel Edwards has prohibited all gatherings with 250 people or more in an attempt to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

On Friday, the governor signed a proclamation halting any gatherings of that size until April 13. The governor's office clarified Friday afternoon the announcement affects churches as well.

Today, I signed a proclamation that immediately halts any gathering of more than 250 people until Monday, April 13, closes all K-12 public schools statewide effective Monday, March 16 and also moves upcoming state elections. #lagov #lalege

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— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 13, 2020

As of mid-day Friday, the state has reported 33 total cases of the virus.

The governor's office will hold a live news conference at 3 p.m. to address the decision.