California reimposed restrictions amid a spike of coronavirus infections

California has reapplied restrictions on businesses and public spaces due to a spike of coronavirus infections.

Governor Gavin Newsom yesterday ordered an immediate halt to all indoor activities at restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, zoos and museums.

In the worst-affected counties of the south-western US state, churches, gyms and hairdressers will shut down  too.

California has over 330,000 Covid-19 cases, with more than 7,000 deaths.

The reapplication of the restrictions in the state with around 40 million people was prompted by a 20% increase in people testing positive in the past two weeks and increasing numbers of Californians are now needing intensive care.

Infections have increased rapidly in around 40 of 50 US states over the last two weeks, as stated by an analysis by Reuters.

Along with California, Florida, Arizona and Texas have emerged as centres of the pandemic. Towns and counties across Florida have been reimposing restrictions that were lifted in May when infections began to fall.

California

But on the east coast, New York City – which in April had one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in the world – recorded no new fatalities from the disease for the first time in four months.

At present, there are over 3.3 million confirmed Covid-19 cases in USA, and over 135,000 deaths, as stated by Johns Hopkins University.

WHAT ARE THE NEW RESTRICTIONS IN CALIFORNIA?

Governor Newsom warned on Monday that “this virus is not going away anytime soon”.

“I hope all of us recognise that if we were still connected to some notion that somehow when it gets warm it’s going to go away or somehow it’s going to take summer months or weekends off – this virus has done neither.

“We are now effective today requiring all counties to close their indoor activities, their indoor operations in the following sectors: restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, movie theatres, family entertainment centres, zoos and museums, card rooms and the shuttering of all bars.

This article has been posted by a News Hour Correspondent. For queries, please contact through [email protected]
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