Los Angeles could issue stay-at-home order by Sunday: official

Los Angeles could lock down as soon as Sunday following a record-high number of coronavirus infections on Thursday, a county health official said.

A Sunday lockdown would bar any Thanksgiving gatherings this upcoming week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended against travel and gathering on the holiday.

Los Angeles tallied a record 5,031 new coronavirus cases Thursday. L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said the average number of cases over the past two days was 4,500. If cases average over 4,500 for five consecutive days, the county will issue a safer-at-home order as it did in the spring, shuttering all non-essential businesses and urging Angelenos to leave only for necessities or essential work. It also would include a countywide curfew of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Davis pointed out that cases rose 68% from Oct. 28 to Nov. 10.

“At this point, no one should still be questioning this virus,” he said, according to Deadline.

“Potentially by Sunday, we would need to implement that safer-at-home order.”

L.A. county regulations going into effect Friday already limit restaurants to half their outdoor capacity and one-quarter of their indoor capacity, and require them to close at 10 p.m.

Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles director of public health, said she hopes the county doesn’t reach the 4,500 case daily rolling average.

“I don’t think it’s inevitable that we do get there,” she said. “I hope with every single bone in my body that we don’t get there.”

Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed new restrictions this week in 41 of the state’s counties, home to most of the state’s 40 million residents. The limited stay-at-home order imposes a curfew 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. It will go into effect Saturday and last until Dec. 21.