Beach crowds lead California to increase health warnings

California's Governor Gavin Newsom urged residents on Monday to stay away from crowded beaches, after people flocked to the coast over the weekend.

Libby Hogan reports.

The sun's out and the temptation to sunbathe or play volleyball on the beach has led people in to flock to the coast, ignoring health warnings.

And on Monday (April 27) people were seen gathering at Orange County's Huntington Beach.

This has prompted California's Governor Gavin Newsom to urge residents on Monday (April 27) to stay away from crowded beaches.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAYING: "We have made real progress in this state over the course of the last number of weeks, and that's why I want to just confront the topic that is top of mind and those are the images we saw over the weekend.

The images down in Orange County and Ventura County on our beaches.

Those images are an example of what not to see, people, what not to do if we're going to make the meaningful progress." Newsom warned locals they would put at risk California's progress in slowing the advance of the coronavirus.

However, local officials in Orange and Ventura Counties have allowed access to their beaches.

Health authorities have stood firm, criticizing people crowding the shoreline and Newsom raised the risk that this behaviour could possibily delay further loosening of limits that he says could be around the corner.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SAYING: "The reality is we are just a few weeks away, not months away, from making measurable and meaningful changes to our stay at home order.

That is a very optimistic point to emphasize.

However, that's driven by data.

It's driven by behavior.

And as we change our behavior .

.

This virus doesn't take the weekends off.

"