US COVID-19 Daily New Cases Exceed 180,000... Some State Governments Issue Lockdown Orders Amid 'Chaos'

New Mexico and Oregon Implement 2-Week 'Stay-at-Home Orders'
Three Western US States Issue 'Travel Alerts'

The daily new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the United States have exceeded 180,000, triggering an emergency for the third wave of the pandemic. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] As the United States faces an emergency with daily new COVID-19 cases surpassing 180,000 amid the third wave, some state governments have reimposed lockdown orders.

According to major foreign media on the 14th (local time), New Mexico and Oregon have decided to implement a two-week stay-at-home order to curb the resurgence of COVID-19.

New Mexico will halt operations of non-essential businesses from the 16th to the 30th to block the spread of the virus, and residents are required to stay at home except when seeking emergency medical care, purchasing emergency medicine, groceries, or essential supplies. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appealed, "We are facing a life-or-death situation. If we do not act immediately, lives cannot be saved."

Oregon also announced it will enforce a two-week freeze starting on the 18th, mandating remote work for company employees. The state government banned indoor dining and drinking at restaurants and bars, allowing only takeout and delivery. Additionally, social gatherings are limited to six people from no more than two households, and closure orders were issued for sports facilities where many people can gather.

Including Oregon, three western U.S. states?California, Washington, and Oregon?simultaneously issued travel advisories to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These three states urged residents to avoid traveling outside state borders and recommended a 14-day self-quarantine for all visitors arriving in the states.

The North Dakota government, which had opposed mandatory mask-wearing, finally conceded to the rapid spread of COVID-19. North Dakota issued an administrative order mandating mask use, with fines up to $1,000 for violations. It also limited indoor capacity at all bars and restaurants to 50% and ordered nighttime operations to cease from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following day.

Governors of six northeastern states, including New York, plan to hold an emergency meeting soon to devise measures to suppress the spread of COVID-19. Arkansas has launched a task force to curb the winter surge of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, according to Johns Hopkins University, on the 13th, 184,514 people in the U.S. were confirmed positive for COVID-19 in a single day, setting a new record for daily cases. For ten consecutive days since the 4th, cases have exceeded 100,000. For the first time since the pandemic began, all 50 states are simultaneously experiencing an increase in cases, spreading rapidly in a pattern unlike before.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.