SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- San Diego County announced Monday that some businesses must cease indoor operations as coronavirus cases continue to spike across the county.
Officials said that bars, restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, zoos, museums, and cardrooms will need to shutter indoor operations.
The changes go into effect at midnight. Following the announcement, the San Diego Zoo released the following statement:
The San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are outdoor destinations and will continue to be open. We continue to monitor the ongoing changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are following the recommendations provided by our state and local health authorities.
In light of new restrictions, Mayor Kevin Faulconer said he plans to sign an executive order making it easier for businesses to operate outdoors.
“The City is finalizing a new ordinance for Council approval that will cut fees and streamline permits to make it easier for businesses to operate outdoors,” Faulconer said.
“Given that the state’s new shutdown order has an immediate impact on local businesses, on Tuesday I’ll be signing an emergency Executive Order that will waive regulatory requirements and help restaurants expand their service outdoors, increasing physical distance between employees and customers," he added.
The announcement came after Governor Gavin Newsom requested that San Diego, among other counties, close certain businesses that operate indoors.
RELATED: San Diego County added to California's 'monitoring list,' certain businesses told to shut down
Recently, San Diego was added to California’s monitoring list as coronavirus cases climb.
Last week, the county moved to close certain bars ahead of the busy Fourth of July weekend. Bars that serve food were also issued a 10 p.m. curfew.
Health officials reported more than 1,000 new positive COVID-19 cases over the weekend. So far, 17,000 people throughout the county have tested positive for the virus.
