DC halting indoor dining starting Wednesday as COVID-19 cases rise

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has issued an executive order to shut down indoor dining starting Wednesday as COVID-19 cases continue to rise around the District, the mayor’s office has confirmed to The Hill.

The ban will go into place in at 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

Outdoor dining, takeout and delivery will still be allowed under Bowser’s new order, which is expected to run until January 15.

Washington City Paper was the first to report the new order.

The expected order is the newest regulation put in place by Bowser in recent weeks, as COVID-19 cases continue to increase in the city.

The mayor restricted high school sports and adult sport leagues in early December, and limited indoor dining to 25 percent at the end of November.

“These changes are meant to flatten the curve, help us reserve hospital beds for the most in need of care and keep our community safe during this nationwide surge,” Bowser last month said during a press conference.

D.C. has had more than 26,000 total coronavirus cases and has recorded more than 700 deaths, according to data from the District’s coronavirus dashboard. 

A New York Times coronavirus database shows that the city has seen a 21 percent increase in the number of new cases over a 14-day period, as well as an increase in hospitalizations in recent days. 

Updated Dec. 19, 3:44 p.m.