BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore is tightening restrictions on restaurants and indoor and outdoor gatherings in response to rising cases of the coronavirus, Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young announced Friday.
The changes will take effect Thursday at 5 p.m.
Young says numbers of people in restaurants, religious facilities, theaters and malls will be limited to 25% capacity. Young says food service establishments must close indoor dining at 10 p.m. Bars that don’t have a license to sell food will be closed.
“I am instituting these restrictions for the public health and to save lives in Baltimore city,” Young said.
Also, the city’s health commissioner revised an order to require masks to be worn in public at all times, whether people are inside or outside. Dr. Letitia Dzirasa’s order is effective immediately.
“Over the past month Baltimore city has seen our data trends move in the wrong direction,” she said.
For example, she said the city has recorded an average of 103 new cases a day, an increase of more than 53% over the past month. She also said the number of patients requiring ICU beds has increased by 73% in city hospitals between Oct. 2 and Nov. 2.
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