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Contra Costa encounters COVID-19 surge, slows reopening strategy

Contra Costa County is hitting the pause button on easing coronavirus-related restrictions placed on local businesses in an attempt to stop the county's current surge of new infections. 

Health officials said Wednesday that while the county remains in the state's orange reopening tier - a step they've been at since October 27 - the rise of new cases is concerning. "If the trend continues, the county is at risk of moving backward into the more-restrictive red tier of the state's reopening plan as soon as next week," a news release from Contra Costa County Health Services said.


Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano issued new orders Wednesday "limiting the number of spectators allowed at professional and collegiate sporting events," and tightening restrictions on other activities like prolonged indoor gatherings and gatherings involving eating and drinking where masks have to be removed.

The most recent data shows 4.9 daily cases per 100,000 people in Contra Costa County. That's above the orange-tier benchmark of less than four per 100,000 people. There were 40 people hospitalized Monday due to COVID-19 in county hospitals.

"We believe these measures are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID in our community," Dr. Farnitano said.

San Francisco did the same last week.