The Upper Peninsula and the northern portion of the Lower Peninsula will soon be under new COVID-19 restrictions as cases continue to rise in the state.

An executive order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer late Wednesday limits indoor gatherings across the state to 10 people and closes bars to indoor service, effective Friday. Whitmer amended Michigan’s Safe Start Order and issued revised workplace safeguards regarding Detroit casinos in the order.

Under the order, bars in every region, including those in regions six — the northern Lower Peninsula and eight — the Upper Peninsula, must close for indoor service if they earn more than 70% of their gross receipts from sales of alcoholic beverages.

“As we see COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Michiganders cannot afford to drop our guard. We must take every step possible to save lives, protect the brave men and women on the front lines, and avoid overwhelming our health care system while we continue to combat COVID-19,” Whitmer said in a news release. “After seeing a resurgence in cases connected to social gatherings across the state, we must further limit gatherings for the health of our community and economy. By taking these strong actions, we will be better positioned to get our children back into classrooms and avoid a potentially devastating second wave.”

Outdoor gathering limits will remain at 250 people in regions six and eight, the release states. However, the order limits outdoor gatherings in other portions of the state to 100 people.

See Thursday’s edition of The Mining Journal for more information.