Fort Bend Co. tells residents to stay home as county goes on ‘red alert’

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) – Fort Bend County is now at its highest risk level for transmission of COVID-19, according to county health officials.

On Tuesday morning, the county moved its alert level to red for the virus.

Fort Bend Health and Human Services also announced that all fixed testing sites will close at 1 pm today due to the projected heat index.

According to a statement on Twitter, the appointments are being rescheduled.

County leaders say they are seeing exponential growth in the virus and are urging residents to stay home as much as possible and follow CDC guidelines on facial mask use, social distancing and handwashing.

Right now, there are more than 5,000 positive coronavirus cases in Fort Bend County, more than double the number of cases just four weeks ago.

SEE ALSO: Fort Bend ISD To Begin Academic Year 2020-2021 Online

The hospitals in the county are said to be at initial capacity, and those facilities are now looking at other options to create more space in hospital beds.

Meanwhile, the county is also looking to put alternative care facilities online to help ease the burden of coronavirus cases.

The county says positive cases are increasing at an alarming rate. They urge everyone to wear face masks, social distance, wash their hands, and stay home unless they have to find food or go to work.

RELATED: COVID-19 Cases, Deaths, and Recoveries in Fort Bend County

“If you plan to leave, think about it for a second. ‘Do I have to leave? Do I fall into a high-risk category?'” Asked Fort Bend County Judge KP George. “Or let’s say, ‘I go out and possibly bring coronavirus, do I have someone at home who is high risk?'”

Fort Bend officials say they want to avoid a county shutdown, adding that there are no plans to do so at this time. However, if the governor issues a closing order, he will have no choice but to close things again.

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