Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, speaks during a press conference at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, New York, U.S., on Friday, March 13, 2020. Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty Images

New York City will not be quarantined, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday, trying to dispel rumors as cities and states ramp up efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. Cuomo said he wants to tamp down rumors that the city will be placed under lockdown similar to measures taken by public officials in Italy and China, which have the highest number of cases in the world. "That cannot happen. It cannot happen legally," Cuomo said at a news briefing, saying the mayor of New York City doesn't have that authority and he doesn't want to lock down cities. "No city in this state can quarantine itself without state approval and I have no interest whatsoever, and no plan whatsoever, to quarantine any city."

San Francisco Bay area officials ordered some 7 million residents to "shelter in place" on Monday. When asked earlier Tuesday whether it was time for New York City to do the same, Mayor Bill de Blasio said it was "absolutely on the table." "Under the emergency powers I can do curfews, road restrictions, all sorts of shutdowns," de Blasio said Tuesday on television WPIX. "All of that is on the table right now." COVID-19 has infected about 1,700 people across the state, Cuomo said, and it has killed 12 people in New York. In New York City, the virus has infected more than 644 people, according to the city's department of health.