EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — Additional COVID-19 mitigation efforts will be implemented in the Metro East area of Illinois as the area shows a seven-day positivity rate of 9.6% as a result of coronavirus testing.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday announced that beginning Wednesday, bars in the area east of St. Louis can no longer offer indoor service, no indoor dining or bar service can be offered by restaurants and meetings, social events and other gatherings are limited to lesser of 25 guests or 25% of overall room capacity.

The action by the health department comes as officials reported 1,492 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Illinois, with 39 additional confirmed deaths, bringing to 8,064 deaths since the start of the pandemic.