MOULTRIE, Ga. — In light of an executive order from Gov. Brian Kemp, the Colquitt County Board of Commissioners has closed the county courthouse and courthouse annex to the public.

Beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, when Kemp’s order went into effect, the county buildings — which had been open only 1-5 p.m. daily since March 18 — will be closed until April 13, when the order is scheduled to expire.

County staff can still be reached by telephone or email, according to a press release emailed from the county government just before 5 p.m. Friday.

Additionally, drop-off and online services will also be available outside of normal business hours and are encouraged, the release said. Citizens can call the county’s main phone line at 229-616-7400 and choose the department they need from the menu selection.

“We expect to begin allowing public to access both buildings once the governor’s executive order expires,” the press release said.

When hours were initially reduced to in mid-March, the restriction was expected to last until March 31, but it was extended indefinitely as that termination date approached.

All the changes are in response to the outbreak of a new coronavirus, which causes an illness called COVID-19. As of Friday afternoon, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center reported 1,094,068 cases of COVID-19 around the world, 273,880 of them in the United States. There have been 58,773 deaths, 7,077 of them in the United States. Georgia has reported nearly 6,000 cases and almost 200 deaths; the state Department of Public Health expects to release updated figures about 7 p.m.

As of noon Friday, Colquitt Regional Medical Center and Sterling Physician Group clinics had tested 339 people for the virus with 48 positive tests, 169 negatives and 122 still pending. Five patients at Colquitt Regional Medical Center have died from the illness, according to the hospital’s daily update.

Other updates included in the county’s news release:

• Court services will operate on a normal schedule.

• Roads & Bridges, solid waste pick-up routes, landfill, E-911, sheriff’s office, county prison, landfill, county shop, Buildings and Grounds, and administration will also operate on normal schedules.

• The Tax / Tag Office will be closed to the public but they will be processing online and mailed items on a regular basis throughout the week.