With the surge in COVID-19 cases brought about by the holidays, Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said he has no plans to change the city’s civil emergency orders for New Year’s Eve.

“I have been asked if we are going to allow bars and restaurants to remain open later on New Year’s,” Flaggs said Tuesday. “We are not going to make any changes. The order will continue in place until at least through Jan. 15.”

The city’s current civil emergency orders place restrictions on bars and restaurants that limit the number of people who can sit at a table and the hours in which they can sell alcohol and allow the consumption of alcohol.

“Places that sell alcohol or allow consumption of alcohol on the premises must stop serving, selling or consuming alcohol by 11 p.m. and close the business by midnight,” the existing order reads.

Since Thanksgiving, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Warren County has spiked to record levels. In the past two weeks alone, Warren County has seen an average of nearly 30 cases per day. December has also matched August as the deadliest months of the pandemic, with 21 deaths reported since Dec. 1.

“I would encourage everyone to celebrate as close to home as possible,” Flaggs said. “I want everyone to practice social distancing, wear a mask and be as safe as possible for the start of 2021 so we can be here for the start of 2022.”