Washington, D.C. extends coronavirus-related stay-at-home order through June 8

Washington, D.C., the seat of the federal government, extended its stay-at-home order through June 8, the district's mayor told reporters on Wednesday.

The district's stay-at-home order, intended to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, had been scheduled to end on May 15. Mayor Muriel Bowser left open the possibility that the U.S. capital could reopen sooner, saying that if it hit certain metrics, including a declining number of cases over 14 days and low transmission rate over three days, she could move to open sooner.

The announcement comes as the White House pushes for states to reopen businesses while public health experts urge caution. So far, Washington has reported 6,584 cases of the coronavirus and 350 deaths

Both Maryland and Virginia, neighboring states where many workers in the U.S. federal government live, have moved to reopen some businesses in parts of their states, but the suburbs immediately surrounding Washington have remained largely closed. Government is considered an essential service, and many workers are currently working from home.