Hospitals in at least two Texas counties are at full capacity as the Lone Star State sees an alarming increase in coronavirus cases.
Judges in Starr and Hidalgo counties raised the alarm Friday and alerted residents that hospitals in the Rio Grande Valley were full.
Starr County Judge Eloy Vera wrote in a Facebook post that there were 18 coronavirus-related deaths in the county and that two seriously ill patients were flown out of the area for treatment.
“Local and valley hospitals are at full capacity and no more beds are available. I urge all of our residents to take shelter on the spot, cover their faces, practice social distancing and AVOID MEETINGS,” he wrote.
Judge Richard Cortez, in neighboring Hidalgo County, issued a similar warning, asking residents to shelter-in-place and cover their faces to try to prevent the rapid spread of the virus.
“HIDALGO COUNTY HOSPITALS HAVE CAPACITY,” he tweeted. “Celebrate July 4th responsibly, SHELTER IN PLACE and avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. Bring a covered face and social distance. Protect yourself and your family. “
Please be safe this weekend. pic.twitter.com/DhiH7NEGXJ
– Richard F. Cortez, Hidalgo County Judge (@JudgeCortez) July 3, 2020
The warnings occur when Texas sees sharp spikes in coronavirus cases after an initial crash. Authorities announced nearly 7,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, breaking the state record for the total number of confirmed cases in one day.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an executive order Thursday requiring that masks be worn in public spaces in counties with at least 20 cases of coronavirus to try to deal with the fungal outbreak, though he seemed reluctant to re-close. business.
“Wearing a face mask in public has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” Abbott said in a statement. “We have the ability to keep business open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a living, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect each other, and that means wearing a mask in public spaces. ” “
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