Healthcare workers in the nation’s third-largest metro area are struggling to deal with a sharp influx of coronavirus cases.
Houston County Judge Lina Hidalgo told reporters at a press briefing on Monday that the rise in new patients is causing a tremendous strain on resources.
“We’re approaching a precipice of disaster,” Hidalgo said. “We’re looking at very, very concerning numbers in our hospital population that are getting worse by the day.”
Healthcare workers reported a record 1,994 cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday, a number that almost doubles recent daily totals in the Texas city.
“The health professionals are nervous, but they are also up for it,” University of Houston public health expert Kelli Drenner told the Hill. “People are concerned that this is a big deal and that the public isn’t taking it seriously. And that undermines all our efforts.”
On Monday, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stressed that new reports of infected patients were “unacceptable” but backed residents of his state to continue with a safe reopening of the economy.
“Texans have shown that we don’t have to choose between jobs and health — we can have both,” Abbott said. “We can protect lives while also restoring livelihoods. Together, we will keep Texans safe and we will keep our state open for business.”
