California imposes limited stay-at-home order

Updated: Nov 19, 2020 / 04:56 PM CST

EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 23: A message is posted reading ‘Stay Home’ in Imperial County which has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic on July 23, 2020 in El Centro, California. Imperial County currently suffers from the highest death rate and near-highest infection rate from COVID-19 in California. The rural county, which is 85 percent Latino, borders Mexico and Arizona and endures high poverty rates and air pollution while also being medically underserved. In California, Latinos make up about 39 percent of the population but account for 55 percent of confirmed coronavirus cases. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (NewsNation Now) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is imposing an overnight curfew as the state’s coronavirus cases continue to rise. Newsom announced Thursday a limited stay-at-home order in 41 counties that account for nearly the entire state population of just under 40 million people.

“This Limited Stay at Home Order will reduce opportunities for disease transmission with the goal of decreasing the number of hours individuals are in the community and mixing with individuals outside of their household,” Dr. Erica Pan with California Department of Public Health wrote in a statement. “Every intervention to decrease mixing of households is critical during this unparalleled increase in case rate rise of about 50 percent during the first week in November.”

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

Beginning Saturday, all non-essential work, travel, and gatherings must cease between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The stay-at-home order will last for 30 days.

The decision comes only days after the state-imposed restrictions limiting business operations in those 41 counties, which have the most significant increases in virus cases.