City of Houston extends emergency health declaration through end of April

The City of Houston has extended its emergency health declaration through the end of April.

Mayor Sylvester Turner and City Council voted on the extension Tuesday morning during an emergency meeting.

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The action cancels or postpones all city-sponsored, promoted and permitted events scheduled through the end of April.

It helps the city work to stop the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.

The extension comes just days after Mayor Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced public health declarations that led to the unprecedented closure of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

MORE: Houston Rodeo canceled after 14 local COVID-19 cases

The initial move was in response to a community spread COVID-19 case in a Montgomery County patient who attended the World Championship Bar-B-Que Cookoff on Friday, February 28.

RELATED: Montgomery Co. COVID-19 patient went to Bar-B-Que Cookoff

As of Tuesday morning, there have been 31 cases of COVID-19 in the greater Houston area, including one reported death.

TIMELINE: How the Coronavirus COVID-19 is unfolding in the greater Houston area