Texas had its highest number of new hospitalizations due to the coronavirus Tuesday, leading Gov. Greg Abbott to urge Texans to stay at home despite the state entering its third of four phases for reopening.
More than 2,600 people tested positive for the coronavirus in Texas on Tuesday, a record number in one day for the state – the previous high was June 10. There are also just over 2,500 patients hospitalized due to the coronavirus in the state, an increase of almost 200 from Monday and about 1,000 from less than one month ago.
“If you do not need to go out, the best advice is still to stay at home,” Abbott said during a press conference in Austin on Tuesday, according to The Hill.
Travis County, which includes Austin, extended its stay-at-home order until Aug. 15 because of the spike in hospitalizations.
“There has been a nationwide effort . . . to slow the spread of COVID 19 so we could prevent hospitals from being overrun,” Abbott said. “That goal has been achieved.”
“The increased occupancy of hospital beds, it does raise concerns, but as shown today there is no reason right now to be alarmed,” he continued. “Even though there are more people hospitalized, we still remain at the lowest threat level [for occupancy].”
However, Bill McKeon, the chief executive of the Texas Medical Center, told the Houston Chronicle, if the number of hospitalizations “continues to grow at this rate, we’re going to be in real trouble.”
