New York, April 11: Schools in New York City (NYC) will remain closed for rest of the academic year and re-open only in September, said Mayor Bill De Blasio on Saturday. His announcement comes amid exponentially rising COVID-19 cases in the United States, with the state of New York being declared as the topmost coronavirus hotspot in the country. New York City COVID-19 Lockdown Extended Till April 29, Social Distance Violation Fine Increased to $1,000, Announces NY Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Blasio, while speaking to reporters, said the "painful" decision to shut down the schools is necessitated to prevent mass gatherings. Avoiding all forms of congregations, including the gathering of pupils, is essential to prevent the transmission of virus, he added.

The Mayor said it would be possible to reopen the schools only in September. While the institutions will remain shut for the rest of academic year, classes would begin only in the next few days, he said, adding that the administration is reaching out to nearly 75,000 parents to guide them on how to make their students attend classes under the remote learning programme.

Over a fourth of the United States' total coronavirus cases has been reported from New York. The province confirmed 159,937 cases till this report was published on Saturday, whereas, the countrywide toll was above 505,000.

The province also accounts for over a third out of the total deaths reported in America due to the novel coronavirus. While the fatality count in the US stood at 18,771, the deaths reported in New York province amount to 7,067.

Globally, the pandemic has infected more than 1,725,261 persons and claimed around 104,881 lives. Italy, the worst-affected country, has confirmed 18,849 deaths, followed by Spain with 16,353 fatalities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2020 08:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).