BOISE, Idaho (KLIX)-Ada County will fall back to more stringent coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions that will force the closure of bars and nightclubs because of an increase in virus cases. The Central District Health (CDH) and the Board of Health announced it will move back to Stage-3 guidelines Wednesday, June 24, at 12:01 a.m.

The decision is based on a week of rapid increase in COVID-19 cases within Ada County and exposures at public social settings, according to CDH. In the last week the health district said the county had seen 303 come down with the virus and attribute it to going out to bars and nightclubs and didn't know they were infectious. Health district officials say they've counted 152 of those that have impacted other people like family, friends, or roommates.

“We have been watching these numbers rapidly rise in Ada County, and with that, our concern has grown, too. In the interest of public health of our residents, we need to readjust, take a step back, and re-implement measures so that we can protect our most vulnerable residents and ensure that our health care providers do not become overwhelmed, and can continue providing quality care to those who need it,” said Russ Duke, Director for CDH in a prepared statement.

The CDH did not place an end date to the order to revert back to Stage-3 guidelines, but will decide based on the number of cases and other criteria. The rest of the state is currently under Stage-4 of the Gov. Brad Little's reopening plan that has allowed for gatherings of more than 50 people.

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