Due to the increase in positive COVID-19 cases in Monroe County, the governor's office designated a large portion of Monroe County to the "Yellow Zone."

The state released a map showing the area of the county in the yellow zone. The city of Rochester and several towns including Greece, Penfield, Perinton, Chile, Irondequoit, Webster, East Rochester, Pittsford, Brighton, and Henrietta are all under the Yellow Zone. 

For the time being, restaurants within this zone will only be allowed to have four people sit at a table and must close at midnight. 

Large gatherings will be limited to 25 people instead of 50. Houses of worship can only have 50% capacity.

The state will test 20% of people inside schools every week.

Both County Executive Adam Bello and Monroe County Public Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza stressed the urgency of residents coming together to do the right thing. 

"I would just ask everyone, if we want to make sure we're still going, if we want to go back in the right direction, want to get off the track that we're on, we're in the Yellow Zone. We want to get back on the right track. There are simple things that we can do, that we know work," said Bello. 

"We need to be serious about this because, as I see it, it's pay now or pay later, and the reality is we can do this. I know we can do this, but it does mean we have to shift our mentality and balance how we look ahead to the weeks and months to come," said Mendoza.  

County officials attributed the recent spike in cases to gatherings of people who aren't following safety guidelines and don't live in the same household.