Oregon Gov. Brown orders statewide school closures amid coronavirus pandemic

SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is ordering all schools in the state to close amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Brown's office said Thursday that all K-12 schools will close from Monday, March 16 through Tuesday, March 31.

"This is a trying time for our community and I am reluctant to increase the burden on families who are already struggling to adapt to and stay healthy during this crisis," Brown said in a release. "However, we are left with little choice in light of school districts’ staff capacity and operational concerns. I want to thank all of the teachers and school employees who have worked hard to keep our schools open until now.”

The announcement comes after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's own order that all schools in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties close for six weeks beginning March 17.

This is a developing story and will be updated