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Worst Day Yet: Texas Sets Records For Coronavirus Deaths, Hospitalizations And New Cases

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This article is more than 3 years old.
Updated Jul 7, 2020, 05:55pm EDT

TOPLINE

Texas on Tuesday reported its worst day of impacts from the coronavirus pandemic so far, with record increases in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths as the crisis in the state shows no signs of letting up while ICUs in some areas reach capacity.

KEY FACTS

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported a record 10,028 new cases on Tuesday—the first time the state has ever had an increase of 10,000 or more in a day, and shattering the old record of 8,258 set just days before on Saturday.

Hospitalizations set a new record for a tenth-straight day, rising to 9,286 patients currently hospitalized.

But the most sobering jump was in deaths—the state said there were 60 new deaths on Tuesday, also setting a record.

The state has set records for new cases, and especially hospitalizations, for weeks now, but the 60 deaths reported Tuesday broke a record that had stood since May 14.

The trend for deaths has gradually been on the rise, though, with the state reporting at least 50 new deaths three times in the past week.

KEY BACKGROUND

After having one of the nation’s most aggressive reopenings, Texas has taken a hard stop on those efforts, and even rolled back some. Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered bars to close, restaurants to reduce capacity to 50% and granted local authorities the ability to ban gatherings of 10 or more people. He also recently enacted a mask mandate that will require the vast majority of Texans to wear a mask in public, and includes all of the state’s major cities.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Hospital capacity is becoming a major concern in some areas. Austin Mayor Steve Adler told CNN Sunday that ICUs in the city will be overrun within 10 days. Data released by the state Tuesday showed that a region that includes cities like Beaumont and Galveston, and all together has some 1.3 million residents, has a total of two open ICU beds.

FURTHER READING

Texas Mandates Mask Wearing (Forbes)

Austin Mayor: ICUs will be overrun in 10 days (CNN)

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