California sees record-breaking number of new cases, Gov. Newsom announces
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a record-breaking number of new coronavirus cases in a Wednesday press conference.
An additional 12,807 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in California over the past 24 hours, the governor said. That's the highest number recorded in a single day since the pandemic began.
Those 12,807 new cases came out of a pool of about 127,000 people tested, Newsom said. That's about a 10% positivity rate.
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Over the past 14 days, the positivity rate has averaged 7.4%.
Newsom's announcement comes as California has surpassed New York for the most coronavirus cases in the country, with more than 413,000 confirmed cases.
"We're a state the size of 21 states combined," said Newsom. "So it's not surprising now in some respects, as we began to reopen key sectors of our economy, people continue to mix and people continue to come in close contact with others that may have contracted this disease, that our numbers will start to go up in total."
New York still has more COVID-19 cases per capita, the governor emphasized.
"Nonetheless, it's a sober reminder of why we are taking things as seriously as we are. A sober reminder of why we put in that mask mandate here in the state of California, and a reminder of why we modified our opening."
Newsom added Butte County, which includes Chico, has been added to the state's watch list.
In his Monday press conference, the governor announced a change in the rules for hair salons and other beauty services in the state.
While hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, massage parlors and other beauty services have to close indoor operations in counties on the state's watch list, they're now allowed to move some services outdoors.
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The guidelines for outdoor hair salons and barbershops include:
- Employees and customers have to wear masks the entire time
- Create an outdoor reception area where guests can check in
- No handshakes, hugs or similar greetings
Nail salons can offer manicures and pedicures outside. Other services like massages, body waxing and threading are also now allowed outdoors. Electrolysis, tattooing and piercings are not allowed outside because they have to be done in an indoor controlled environment.
RELATED: Gov. Gavin Newsom allows reopening outdoor hair salons, nail salons amid coronavirus pandemic
Personal care services have to follow the above guidelines, as well as:
- Workers should wear a face shield with a face covering when doing services on the face/neck that don't allow clients to wear a mask
- Disposable gloves should be worn during the entire service
- Use single-use applicators instead of reusable ones (where necessary)
- Ask manicure clients to use hand sanitizer first
- Allow only one manicurist to work at a single station
- Offer color palettes instead of nail polish color displays
Full guidelines for hair salons and barbershops can be found here. Full guidelines for nail salons and other personal care services can be found here.
As of Wednesday, 33 of California's 58 counties are on the COVID-19 watch list. That represents 91% of the state's population, an estimated 36 million people.
KGO-TV contributed to this report.
