How to Watch California Governor's Coronavirus News Briefing as Cases Spike

California Governor Gavin Newsom will provide updates about the state's novel coronavirus outbreak during a news conference on Thursday, after health officials reported two consecutive record increases in confirmed infections earlier this week. California has confirmed more than 12,000 new virus cases since Monday, with more than 190,000 positive tests recorded overall.

Newsom's Thursday briefing will begin at 3 p.m. EDT, according to the governor's office. It will be available to stream live on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

His upcoming conference will take place as California sees a substantial spike in new virus cases and hospitalizations. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed the state's highest single-day increases in virus cases on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with more than 7,100 new diagnoses included in its Wednesday report. That figure surpassed Tuesday's previous record of roughly 5,000 new cases, up from 4,230 confirmed on Monday. On Sunday, the CDPH confirmed 4,515 new infections.

As Newsom said during Wednesday's press briefing, California's latest daily case report denoted a 69 percent increase compared to Monday's numbers. New cases reported by the CDPH on Monday and Wednesday accounted for those identified on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively. The governor also addressed statewide hospitalization figures related to virus infections, which he said had increased by 29 percent across California since June 10, two weeks earlier. Patients admitted to intensive care units with COVID-19 had increased by 18 percent over the same time period.

Newsom did not indicate any plans to stall California's reopening procedures during Wednesday's conference, but urged residents to practice social distancing and adhere to face mask requirements so that businesses can safely restart. Most California counties entered Phase 2 of the governor's economic recovery plan at the start of June.

"As we not only reopen, not only reopen our economy, but we begin to reopen our households and we begin to go back to our old ways and our old habits, a consequence is we are spreading this virus," Newsom said on Wednesday. "And it is incumbent upon us to recognize that as individuals, as communities, as leaders in our own households, our own communities, to recognize that it is our behaviors that are leading to these numbers and we are putting people's lives at risk."

In response to rising case counts reported throughout the month in California, Newsom announced a mandate directing all state residents to wear face coverings in "high-risk situations," particularly in indoor public spaces.

"As Californians venture into our communities more, wearing face coverings is another important way we can help protect one another," said State Public Health Officer and CDPH Director Dr. Sonia Angell in a statement outlining the order's terms. "Combined with physical distancing and frequent hand washing, wearing cloth face coverings when we are with others outside of our household will reduce the spread of COVID-19, which is still a very real threat across our state."

Newsweek reached out to Newsom's office for additional comments. This story will be updated with any response.