California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered seven counties across the state to immediately close bars in hopes of averting COVID-19 infection on Sunday. The counties affected by the order were Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, San Joaquin, and Tulare. Newsom also recommended, but did not require, eight other counties to take the same action. “COVID-19 is still circulating in California, and in some parts of the state, growing stronger,” Newsom said in a statement. “That’s why it is critical we take this step to limit the spread of the virus in the counties that are seeing the biggest increases.” The counties included in the order were chosen based on state monitoring of the virus’s spread, and came as California has seen a surge in coronavirus cases, with more than 211,000 reported in the state.