Coronavirus: Texas Illness Count Crosses 89K Mark, 7 More Deaths

AUSTIN, TX — The number of cases of the coronavirus recorded in Texas so far jumped to 89,108 on Monday — an increase of 1,254 from the day before — and the historic fatality count grew to 1,983, an increase of seven more deaths in 24 hours.

On Sunday, another 1,843 cases of the respiratory illness were reported from the previous day. The data were posted on a statistical website maintained by the Texas Department of State Heath Services. Health officials noted that 59,089 people have recovered from the illness across Texas, an increase of 748 from the previous 24-hour time period.

According to the dashboard, there are 28,036 active cases of the illness in the state. That's an increase of 499 from the day before.

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To date, the highest levels of illness per county have been recorded in:

• Harris County: 16,788 cases — 220 more than the 16,568 reported the previous day.
• Dallas County: 14,232 cases — up 302 more from 13,930.
• Tarrant County: 7,334 cases — up 81 more than 7,253.
• Travis County: 4,545 cases — up 84 from 4,461.
• Bexar County: 4,393 cases — up 151 from 4,242.
• El Paso County: 3,911 cases — up 77 from 3,834.
• Potter County: 2,785 cases — unchanged.
• Fort Bend County: 2,385 cases — unchanged.
• Walker County: 1,878 cases — up seven from 1,871.
• Denton County: 1,736 cases — up 17 from 1,719.

Texas has emerged in an unwelcome spotlight in the past few days over its illness spikes after Gov. Greg Abbott directed a multi-phased reopening of the coronavirus-stalled economy starting May 1 — the first state in the nation to reignite commerce starting May 1. After the first phase allowed for operators of malls, restaurants and movie theaters to reopen — albeit at limited occupancy levels — subsequent phases have since accommodated more enterprises in reopening their doors, from bars and bowling alleys to nail salons and tanning booths.

Since then, the rates of illness have become to grow exponentially in the Lone Star State — prompting headlines from national media outlets and used as a cautionary tale by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his briefings to illustrate the perils of reopening too soon before illness trends flatten.

In justifying recent reopening phases, the governor recently attributed increases largely to illness clusters at meatpacking plants and jails. But on Monday, Abbott blamed young people for the latest spikes in respiratory illness. As reported by Newsweek, Abbott admonished young adults — particularly those in their 20s — for failing to heed public health advice amid the COVID-19 pandemic while blaming them in part for the recent surge in new cases.

"We are beginning to see for the month of June an increase in the number of people testing positive who are in the age group the 20s, meaning between the age of 20 and 29," Abbott told KRGV, as Newsweek reported. "People of that age group, they're not following these appropriate, best health safety practices. They are not wearing face masks, they're not sanitizing their hands, they're not maintaining social distancing," he added. "And as a result, they are contracting COVID-19 at a record pace in the state of Texas."

Yet on April 27, as he announced the first economic reopening phase on May 1, Abbott waived the mandate to wear protective face coverings — despite their value among health professionals as an effective way to blunt the spread of illness. When pressed on that decree of late, Abbott has invoked the privilege of personal responsibility as the reason for having relaxed the rule. As he announced the voluntary step of wearing masks, Abbott made a point to warn local officials not to assess fines to residents opting not to don masks by citing his superseding executive order.

Abbott also previously deemed worship services and construction activity as "essential services," in Texas, further stoking concerns among health officials repeatedly advising residents to maintain physical distancing amid the pandemic. Despite the "essential services" decree, communities of faith across Texas opted to maintain physical distancing safeguards and even excused their flocks from attending church amid the coronavirus reach.