RICHMOND, Va. – Governor Ralph Northam has extended his temporarily prohibition on gatherings of 10 or more people and shutdown of nonessential businesses until until May 8, more than a week before the order was set to expire.

Virginia health officials reported 195 COVID-19-related deaths in the state as of Wednesday, an increase of 41 deaths from the total reported on Tuesday. According to the Virginia Department of Health, there are 6,500 cases and 1,048 people in the hospital.

Northam addressed the state’s effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, noting that social distancing guidelines have had an impact on flattening the curve in Virginia.

“As you saw in Monday’s modeling data, social distancing is working,” Northam said before announcing his decision to extend his executive order. “We saw that in the model UVA released on Monday and in other national models. The actions that we have taken as a state are having an effect.”

Despite the data from certain models, the governor urged Virginians to prepare for a new normal during Wednesday’s coronavirus briefing.