The City of Raleigh issued a new emergency order requiring face masks indoors starting at 5 p.m. Friday.

People in Raleigh city limits will be required to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces, like grocery stores, museums and restaurants.

The order comes as cases of the coronavirus surge again in North Carolina, fueled by the more-contagious delta variant.

Raleigh joins other cities, including Durham, Chapel Hill and Boone, in issuing a local mask rule after the state mask mandate expired last month.

“The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in our community and across the state at an alarming rate,” said Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin.

“The idea that we can hope COVID-19 will just go away on its own is not a reality. It’s time to take responsible action, and today we are taking an important step to make sure the people of this community, and those who visit us, remain healthy and safe,” she said.

Baldwin issued the indoor mask order after meeting with other Wake County mayors and the chair of the county commission.

Wake County Commission Chair Matt Calabria said the county could issue its own mask mandate next week.

Coronavirus cases in Wake County and across North Carolina are back up to levels not seen since the beginning of the year.

Wake County saw more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases since in just the first eight days of the month, according to Nicole Mushonga, associate medical director for Wake County. The county hasn't seen case numbers like that since January, when holiday gatherings led to a large national spike in COVID-19 cases.