LAS CRUCES - Las Crucens won't have to worry about late utility bills during the coronavirus crisis, one of several measure meant to help residents and businesses affected by the situation.

At a special work session on the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, March 16, Las Cruces Utilities Director Jorge Garcia said Las Cruces Utilities, which provides residents with wastewater, water, trash pickup and gas, won't shut off anyone's utilities over delinquent bills as residents hunker down and isolate to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

El Paso Electric will do the same. A company representative told the council Monday that while customers will receive normal billing and overdue bill notifications, no one's electricity will be shut off during the outbreak.

People all over the country are being encouraged to heavily restrict their social lives and stay indoors in an attempt to "flatten the curve" and prevent a surge of infected people who need medical care that would overwhelm the health care system.

EPE also encouraged customers to engage with the company digitally, warning some walk-in centers may close.

The utility rules extend to residents and businesses. Both are expected to be hit hard by the virus outbreak. Under a New Mexico Health Secretary order that went into effect Monday, bars and eateries were told to operate at half capacity and many workers had hours cut and could lose income.

As of March 16, the state had 21 known cases of COVID-19, all in the northern part of the state.