California's Stringent Coronavirus Restrictions Worked Public health experts credit the controversial L.A. County public health order and the state's regional order, both of which banned outdoor dining, with reducing the viral spread that overwhelmed hospitals with COVID patients last month. February 8, 2021, 10am PST | Irvin Dawid Share The Golden State no longer leads the nation in the seven-day average of new cases of COVID-19; that title goes to Texas, though California is a close second on Feb. 6. In per capita cases, the Golden State plummeted to #19 with 35 cases per 100,000 people, according to Covid Act Now on Feb. 7. South Carolina leads with 64 cases per 100k. The national average is 36 cases per 100k.