Oregon orders statewide freeze
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an executive order that authorized a statewide freeze to combat rising COVID-19 cases.
The order will close businesses such as gyms, museums, zoos and indoor recreational facilities, restrict dining to takeout only and limit social gatherings to six people.
Religious gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors, according to the executive order.
The state has 58,570 total coronavirus cases and 778 deaths, according to the Oregon Health Department. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations jumped from 180 on Nov. 2 to 378 on Nov. 17, according to the health data.
"We are at a breaking point," Brown said in a statement. "If we don't take further action, we risk continued alarming spikes in infections and hospitalizations, and we risk the lives of our neighbors and loved ones."
The executive order goes into effect on Wednesday and will last for at least two weeks.
In the meantime, Brown said $55 million in federal financial assistance will be committed to businesses that are impacted by COVID-19.
Each Oregon county will get a baseline of $500,000 plus a per capita allocation of the remainder of the funds.
"I know that this is not enough. I remain committed to fighting for additional resources at the federal level, including a reauthorization of the important features of the CARES Act, like the Payroll Protection Program and an extension of unemployment insurance benefits," Brown said in a statement.