Gyms, hair salons, malls, houses of worship and more ordered to close again by Gov. Newsom.

Just weeks after reopening in Monterey County, fitness centers, hair salons, nail salons, tattoo parlors, offices in non-essential sectors, places of worship and malls have been ordered shut again by Gov. Gavin Newsom, as of today, July 13.

Newsom said during a press conference that he's making the move in the wake of an increase in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations around the state. The order impacts 30 counties in the state that have been on the monitoring list for three days or more, including Monterey County, which first went on the list on July 2.

In the last 14 days, the state has seen an increase of 109,910 positive cases, out of 329,162 total since the start of the pandemic, and 1,104 deaths (out of 7,040 since the start of the pandemic), according to the state's Covid-19 website. In that same time period, California has experienced a 27.8-percent increase in hospitalizations and a nearly 20-percent increase in intensive care patients.

Between June 29 and July 12, Monterey's confirmed cases have increase by 748, out of a total of 2,790, according to the county Health Department's Covid-19 data page. Hospitalizations in Monterey County rose by eight patients, from 35 on June 29 to 43 on July 12. There were seven Covid-19 ICU patients two weeks ago, and on Sunday, July 12 there were 10, according to state data.

More dramatic is the rise from the baseline number of cases per 100,000 residents submitted by the county to the state in late May when it applied for a variance for reopening. The baseline then was 28.6 residents per 100,000 testing positive. The most recent number is 269.6. The threshold for considering modifications that would help reopen more businesses and activities is 32 per 100,000. 

On July 8, the state shut down bars, indoor dining, museums and indoor family entertainment locations for a minimum of three weeks. That could be extended farther out if numbers don't decrease. It left some bar owners and other impacted businesses wondering why gyms could remain open but not them.

On Friday, doctors from three hospitals in Monterey County warned mayors that the next two weeks will be "ugly," with increased hospitalizations, ICU patients and those placed on ventilators. They urged the officials to step up enforcement of social distancing and face covering orders to slow down the spread of the virus and limit the impacts on hospitals.