The City of Mount Vernon is cracking down on the recent surge of COVID-19 cases with a stay-at-home advisory starting Monday.

The city is urging residents to stay home unless they're going to work, school or heading out for essential needs.

With the holidays coming up, part of the advisory encourages people to cancel their traditional Thanksgiving celebrations which might include travel and having guests in their homes.

Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard announced the advisory Saturday as the city hit 124 active cases of coronavirus and 84 new cases in November.

The city is also urging people to get tested at local medical facilities and continuing to enforce social distancing regulations and close down any businesses that don't comply with public health guidelines.

Residents say they were hoping they wouldn't have to revert to any restrictions they had earlier this year.

Mayor Patterson-Howard is planning on giving a live COVID-19 update with other mayors from the area later Sunday.