TEXAS, USA — As Texas continues to see historic high COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Gov. Greg Abbott announced he will address the issue at a news conference Tuesday.
Texas has shattered a number of coronavirus records over the past two weeks. The latest one was set on Monday as the state marked the highest hospitalizations linked to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. It also marked the fourth straight day a new record was set.
Texas health officials reported 2,326 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and 1,254 new cases Monday. On June 12, the state saw 2,166 people in the hospital. That number rose to 2,242 on June 13 and 2,287 on June 14.
The troubling trend of hospitalizations and increased positive cases has been seen in the state's largest cities as well as some of the smaller areas like Beaumont. Houston is considered on the country's 'hot spots' for COVID-19 cases.
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Gov. Abbott has been under scrutiny for not discussing the rise in cases even though the state continues to reopen some areas and expand opening others.
Gov. Abbott is expected to be joined by Dr. John Zerwas, the executive vice chancellor for health affairs for the University of Texas System. Dr. John Hellerstedt, the commissioner of the Texas Dept. of State Health Services, is also expected to join the governor.
May 27 was the last time Gov. Abbott held a news conference to discuss COVID-19 impacts in Texas. During that news conference in Amarillo, Abbott touted the city “turned a corner” after coronavirus flare-up.
Abbott sent a surge response team into Amarillo to deal with the flare-up at meatpacking plants in the state's panhandle.
It's unclear if Gov. Abbott will slow down reopening Texas, require face masks or take any other measures to ensure coronavirus numbers decrease across the state.
Some cities like Austin have delayed lifting stay home orders because cases and hospitalizations continue increasing.
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