Pasadena will allow outdoor dining despite L.A. County order

Health officials in Los Angeles County announced Sunday that onsite service for restaurants, bars and wineries will be prohibited for at least three weeks to try and stem the "alarming" rate of coronavirus cases in the nation's most populous county. The order, which goes in effect Wednesday, will allow restaurants, bars and breweries to operate drive-through, curbside and other outdoor pickup and delivery.

If the five-day average of cases grows to 4,500 or more or hospitalizations are more than 2,000 per day, a Targeted Safer at Home Order will be issued for three weeks, the health department said. KABC-TV reports that on Sunday, the four-day average sat at 4,097 a day. "Wineries and breweries may continue their retail operations adhering to current protocols".

On Sunday, county officials reported nine new deaths and 2,718 new cases of COVID-19.

Cases and hospitalizations have been rapidly rising across California in November.

The pace of new coronavirus cases began to increase late last month.

Earlier in the week health officials enacted a curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.in an effort to blunt the rise in cases, but said a more restrictive order would be implemented as soon as the five-day average of new cases exceeded 4,000.

Health officials have blamed a variety of factors, including holidays, sports championships, protest demonstrations, an increase in both social gatherings and workplace outbreaks and an overall sense of fatigue when it comes to following the rules.

LA public health officials urged Angelenos to stay home as much as possible for the next several weeks to change the trajectory of surging cases and reiterated that Californians should avoid travel during the Thanksgiving holiday week.

The order would "offer additional restrictions while allowing essential and emergency workers and those securing essential services to leave their homes".

Gov. Gavin Newsom also imposed a modified stay-at-home order that took effect Saturday and remains in place through December 21.

But it passed that threshold on Sunday, triggering an order shutting down restaurant dining that takes effect Wednesday at 10 p.m. and further cripples an industry that has been reeling from the virus.

Some residents have chafed at the new statewide restrictions - even though most law enforcement agencies in Southern California said they don't plan on enforcing them.

West Hollywood reported 9 new cases for a cumulative total of 877 cases.

Over the last two weeks, the number of new cases has increased in Long Beach.

Protesters have also gathered in L.A. County. Covid-19 drive-thru testing site in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. Another was expected Sunday afternoon outside the mayor's home.