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LANSING — Schools in Michigan will close Monday through April 5 to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered.

The decision to close K-12 public, private and boarding schools in Michigan was made "in an abundance of caution," Whitmer said.

"I understand what we are announcing today will prompt a lot of questions," she said. "We’re going to do our best to answer as many as we can tonight, but there are some questions we need to spend more time to get through."

Two people tested positive for coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, in Michigan on Tuesday, the first day cases were reported in the state. An additional 10 people had tested positive for it by Thursday night and by Friday afternoon, 16 people were positive with testing ongoing.

Public health officials expect the virus to continue spreading in Michigan, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said.

Closing schools is an important way to slow the spread of the disease, State Superintendent Michael Rice said.

Schools in Ohio, Maryland, Oregon, New Mexico and West Virginia were also ordered to close because of the virus, as were schools in major urban districts across the U.S.

Rice acknowledged it would be challenging for students and families who rely on schools for meals and other resources.

"There are many children in Michigan who rely on our schools for meals," he said. "We will be working with our local school districts to provide guidance to help people access food at this time."

Whitmer encouraged employers to be flexible with parents who may need to stay home to care for children, especially those who do not get paid leave time.

She said she believed school staff should be paid during the closure as if school were in session.

The mandated closure should align with many school districts' scheduled spring breaks, which limits the amount of instruction time students will miss.

Child care centers that are not attached to school buildings are not included in the closures.

Schools are scheduled to reopen April 6. Whitmer said she will adjust the closure plan if necessary.

Some schools did not wait. Bath Community Schools and Portland Public Schools both cancelled Friday classes. St. Martha Parish and School in Okemos and Church of the Resurrection School in Lansing also both canceled classes Friday, as did all public schools in Livingston County.

Many school districts that held classes Friday asked staff and students to take home their personal belongings from lockers, classrooms, offices and desks at the end of the day Friday.

The closure aligns with many districts' scheduled spring breaks, which will limit instruction time students will miss, officials said.

Some districts, including East Lansing, have spring break the week of April 6. Those districts will be closed four weeks.

Contact Carol Thompson at (517) 377-1018 or ckthompson@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @thompsoncarolk.