States enact new restrictions amid record COVID-19 hospitalizations
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The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. reached a new record high of 73,014 on Monday, per the COVID Tracking Project.
Driving the news: Governors in several states announced new restrictions to combat the wave of rapid COVID-19 spread, with fears that the numbers will continue to accelerate as people gather for the Thanksgiving holiday.
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) pulled the "emergency brake" on the state's reopening Monday, announcing widespread closures of indoor services in the state.
- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced indoor gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 10 people, while the state will cap outdoor gatherings at 150 people, starting next week.
- On Sunday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced a slate of restrictions that included halting in-person classes. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced new measures on social gatherings the same day.
- Last week, New Mexico banned in-person services for nonessential businesses, Maryland ordered restaurants to reduce indoor dining capacity to 50% and Oregon announced indoor restaurant dining must pause and limits to social gatherings.
- The governors of New York, Connecticut, Minnesota and New Jersey have all enacted 10 p.m. curfews in recent days for bars, restaurants and gyms.
Worth noting: Iowa became the latest state to issue some sort of mandate for wearing face coverings in public.
Where it stands: The U.S. reported 148,532 new coronavirus cases on Monday. 581 people died from the virus on the same day, bringing the total to 238,217 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
- Experts have warned of a particularly deadly winter this year, as the coronavirus pandemic intersects with the seasonal flu.
Go deeper:
- What to know about Thanksgiving and COVID-19
- CDC releases holiday season guidance to curb COVID-19 spread
Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of the latest mask mandates and case numbers.
