Newsom orders 1-month curfew in California to combat rising virus cases

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a one-month curfew to combat the rising spread of COVID-19.

Newsom tweeted that the curfew would go into effect Saturday beginning at 10 p.m. and last for the next month. Gatherings and nonessential work will be prohibited from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in purple-tier counties.

Due to the rise in #COVID19 cases, CA is issuing a limited Stay at Home Order.

Non-essential work and gatherings must stop from 10pm-5am in counties in the purple tier.

This will take effect at 10pm on Saturday and remain for 1 month.

Together–we can flatten the curve again.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) November 19, 2020

“The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm,” Newsom said in a statement. “It is crucial that we act to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations before the death count surges. We’ve done it before and we must do it again.”

On Monday, Newsom announced that 41 of California’s 58 counties would be moved to the purple tier category. Last week California became the second U.S. state after Texas to surpass 1 million coronavirus cases.

Newsom faced significant backlash over the past week for attending a 12-person birthday party for his adviser at a Napa Valley restaurant just as California became the second state to reach 1 million COVID-19 cases.

California reported 11,478 cases on Wednesday, a new high for the state. COVID-19 cases jumped by 50 percent in the first week of November, according to the governor’s statement.

“We know from our stay at home order this spring, which flattened the curve in California, that reducing the movement and mixing of individuals dramatically decreases COVID-19 spread, hospitalizations, and deaths,” California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly added in the statement.

Along with the limited stay-at-home order, California has also issued a travel advisory asking people to avoid nonessential out-of-state travel and to quarantine for 14 days after arriving from another state or country. Masks are required to be worn by individuals whenever they are outside their homes, with limited exceptions.

An earlier version of this story misstated the record number of cases of COVID-19 on a daily basis in California.