- Title: California governor pulls "emergency brake" as COVID-19 cases double in ten days
- Date: 16th November 2020
- Summary: BOLINAS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - APRIL 20, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SAN FRANCISCO MEDICAL TEAM MEMBERS CONDUCTING TESTS FOR COVID-19 AND ANTIBODIES WIDE OF TESTING SITE
- Embargoed: 30th November 2020 21:50
- Keywords: COVID-19 California California COVID-19 numbers Governor Gavin Newsom coronavirus pandemic pandemic numbers
- Location: BOLINAS, LOS ANGELES, SACRAMENTO, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- City: BOLINAS, LOS ANGELES, SACRAMENTO, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Health/Medicine,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA007D4TIWXZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday (November 16) tightened restrictions on the state, amid a doubling of COVID-19 cases in the past 10 days.
"This is simply the fastest increase California has seen since the beginning of this pandemic," Newsom said.
He also revealed a significant increase in tiered status changes for counties across the state, indicating that 41 counties were now in the purple tier status. Placement within that group means a 7-day average of more than 7 new daily COVID-19 cases out of 100,000 and a 7-day positivity rate of more than 8% for the county.
Those 41 counties include the vast majority of the state's 40 million residents live.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state's secretary of health and human services, said the emergency brake was necessary so as to not overwhelm the hospital system.
"We must keep transmission low," he said.
Total U.S. infections crossed the 11 million mark, just over a week after hitting 10 million, the fastest time it took the country to report an additional 1 million cases since the pandemic began. States across the nation have re-imposed restrictions to stem the resurgent virus straining many healthcare systems.
At the news conference in Sacramento, the governor also apologized for attending an outdoor dinner birthday party at the French Laundy, an upscale restaurant in Napa County, where at least 12 people were reportedly dining together - a number of people above what the state has advised to the public.
"Instead of sitting down, I should have stood up and walked back on my car and drove back to my house," Newsom said. "And so I want to apologize to you because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice."
(Production: Alan Devall / Nathan Frandino) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None