Coronavirus: Texas Illness Count Passes 75K Mark, 6 New Deaths

AUSTIN, TX — The number of cases of new coronavirus statewide grew by 638 on Monday, bringing the count to 75,616. The fatality count grew to 1,836, with six new deaths reported on Monday.

The data are updated daily on a statistical dashboard maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The increase comes on the heels of nearly 2,000 more cases reported on Saturday, when illness count passed the 7,300 mark. Health officials reported an increase in cases of the respiratory illness of 1,940 and 31 new deaths.

According to the dashboard, the counties with the greatest concentrations of illness are:

• Harris County: 14,586 cases.
• Dallas County: 12,093 cases.
• Tarrant County: 6,150 cases.
• Travis County: 3,697 cases.
• El Paso County: 3,376 cases.
• Bexar County: 3,311 cases.
• Potter County: 2,756 cases.
• Fort Bend County: 2,117 cases.
• Walker County: 1,851 cases.
• Denton County: 1,500 cases.
• Collin County: 1,447 cases.

The continual illness spikes in Texas has prompted several national media outlets to focus on Texas among a dozen other states experiencing notable spreads of the virus since governors started reopening their states' economies. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott began to reignite the coronavirus-stalled economy on May 1, allowing restaurants, malls and movie theaters to open their doors again albeit at limited occupancy. The governor later upped allowable occupancy levels to 50 percent, doubling the level initially allowed.

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Since then, Abbott has launched subsequent phases of economic reopening. Early on, he declared worship services and construction activity as "essential services" all but immune to guidance put forth by health officials seeking to mitigate the spread of illness.

Significant spikes in coronavirus diagnoses have emerged since Abbott announced the reopening — making Texas the first to reignite commerce with such action — as reported by Newsweek. Between March 1 and June 4, the state recorded 71,330 cases of the new coronavirus, according to the report.

Texas recorded spikes in new coronavirus cases in counties north of Houston, such as Grimes County that saw an increase from 14.5 reported cases two weeks ago, to a high of 58.4, while Walker County cases jumped from 41.7 to 186.1 cases, Newsweek reported.