City Extends Coronavirus Emergency Declaration through August 5

As coronavirus cases continue to rise in El Paso, City Council made the decision to extend the emergency COVID-19 declaration for another 30 days. Its new expiration date is now August 5 and utilities will not be shut off due to non-payment during this time.

This marks the second time El Paso City government has extended these measures.  As a result, the shutting off of utilities for non-payment will continue to be prohibited until the emergency declaration is lifted or expires. These utilities include electric, gas, water, waste removal, internet, and cable for residential and commercial customers.

Many El Pasoans are feeling the financial strain as a result of lost of diminished income due to coronavirus.  Local bars have been among some of the businesses that the state has ordered to be shut down at the moment and other establishments are currently operating at a diminished capacity, some as low as 50 percent, in order to try and slow the spread of this pandemic.

It is not just businesses that are being affected either, high school and college athletics are having a hard time gaining traction as summer workouts have started and then had to stop due to confirmed, positive coronavirus cases among staff and/or students.

UTEP just announced that workouts will be suspended through at least July 16 after five student-athletes tested positive for coronavirus.  In late June, NMSU announced that they were suspending activities at their training center after six of NMSU student-athletes tested positive for COVID.  Several local school districts have also had to temporarily stop their summer workouts.

As of July 6, the city has more than 7,400 confirmed COVID-10 cases with a death toll of 135 people.  For more information on COVID-19, you can visit www.epstrong.org