San Antonio and Bexar County issue partial curfew for Thanksgiving weekend

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Hours before Thanksgiving, San Antonio and Bexar County officials issued partial curfews that will take effect through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Starting Thanksgiving Day, residents cannot gather outside of their homes from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Central unless they are commuting to or from a business. The curfew ends Monday, according to the amended emergency orders by San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.

Restaurants must close their indoor and outdoor dining during curfew hours, but curbside, takeout and drive-thru options can continue as usual.

Those who violate the order can face a fine up to $1,000.

The curfew is a last minute attempt to curb social gatherings as Texas continues to see record numbers of people infected with the coronavirus.

“Please listen to our public health experts. It's not worth the risk this holiday season,” Nirenberg said in a tweet. “If you have to leave home, wear a mask & keep your distance from others.”

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego issued a similar order late Tuesday.

Texas health officials reported more than 14,000 new coronavirus infections Wednesday in what appeared to be an all-time high for daily cases. The record comes right before the Thanksgiving holiday as public health authorities urge people to celebrate apart this year, warning that family gatherings may increase the spread of infections at a time when many Texas hospitals report overwhelming volumes of COVID-19 patients.

The seven-day average of new cases in Texas continues to surpass 10,000, having tripled since the beginning of October. Testing is also at record levels. Roughly 10% of coronavirus tests yielded positive results on Nov. 24, according to Texas Department of State Health Services data.