Covid-19: California sees record 15,442 new cases as state’s evening curfew kicks in

California added 15,442 new coronavirus cases in a new daily high as the state’s evening curfew kicked in on Saturday night.

The cases topped Friday’s record of 13,005 infections, bringing the total to almost 1.1 million. The number of deaths increased by 86 to 18,643, state data showed. The increased patient load left California’s hospitals with just 1,921 intensive-care unit beds available, near the low in July.

A 10pm to 5am curfew will be imposed in most counties for a month to ease the rate of infection, affecting areas that encompass 37 million people, or 94 per cent of the population.

Only 10 countries globally have more cases than California, where the number of infections now exceeds those in Mexico and Germany, which have been hot spots for the pandemic.

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Governor Gavin Newsom said earlier in the week that the curfew will stop nonessential work and gatherings to “flatten the curve again,” reflecting growing alarm among state officials as the third wave of coronavirus infections to hit the state gathers momentum.

Infections across the US have surpassed 12 million, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended against all travel on cruise ships, citing the high risk of infection.

The impact on businesses will be limited, and the curfew appears intended largely to prevent late-night socialising. Restaurants will need to close outdoor dining by 10pm, but they can continue offering takeout afterward. People working overnight shifts in factories, warehouses or logistics jobs will not be affected. Grocery stores that are open 24 hours will be able to stay that way.

Officials have also urged residents to avoid travel and scale back Thanksgiving gatherings – or cancel them altogether.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted Saturday to remind residents to celebrate virtually or only with members of the same household.

The number of infections in the Greater Los Angeles area increased by 4,522, bringing the total number of new cases over the last four days to 17,769. The county of about 10 million now has a total of 361,896 cases, and the daily number of patients hospitalised has almost doubled from the beginning of October, the health department said.

The county also imposed additional measures starting Friday night, including limiting capacity for retail stores, offices and restaurants. Non-essential retail outlets and restaurants must also close from 10pm to 6am, except for takeout, delivery and pick-up.

More restrictions are expected in Los Angeles. Outdoor dining may be restricted if the five-day average for cases exceeds 4,000, or hospitalisations of more than 1,750 a day, the county’s health department said.

When the case average is more than 4,500 or hospitalizations surpass 2,000, a stay-home order will be imposed for three weeks, it added. – Bloomberg