TUESDAY, Nov. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The fastest rise in coronavirus cases in California since the start of the pandemic has prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom to pull the “emergency brake” on reopening the state’s economy.

“We are sounding the alarm,” Newsom said Monday, the Associated Press reported. “California is experiencing the fastest increase in cases we have seen yet — faster than what we experienced at the outset of the pandemic or even this summer. The spread of COVID-19, if left unchecked, could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes.”

Reopening plans will be halted and most of the state will be placed under strict measures, including the closure of most schools, no indoor worship, and requiring most indoor businesses to close or operate at significantly reduced capacity, the AP reported.

Newsom also said he was considering a curfew on business hours and strengthening a mask requirement outside homes with limited exceptions.

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