Texas Guv warns coronavirus infections has taken a 'swift and very dangerous turn'

Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas said on June 28 that the spread of novel coronavirus has taken a “swift and very dangerous turn” in the United States in the recent weeks. In a joint press briefing with US Vice President Mike Pence, Abbott warned that there has been an increase in average daily new cases in the state rising from 2000 to over 5000 along with a spike in hospitalisations. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the country, several states in the southern part of the country have recorded a huge surge in the coronavirus infections. This comes as the coronavirus infections in the country surpassed 2.5 million with over 125,800 deaths as per Johns Hopkins University tally.

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While most US states including Texas have reimposed some of the restrictions to contain the spread of fatal coronavirus, Abbott ensured that the government “will stop the spread again” of the disease in the state only if all people work together and adhere to the rules. The Texas governor also noted that the ‘positivity rate’ which was 4.27 per cent last month has now reached over 13 per cent. Abbott also ensured that the actions taken to combat to health crisis would be science and data-driven along with keeping a check on the positivity rate of the deadly pathogen. 

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‘Alarm bell for Texas’

Greg Abbott cited the increase of positivity rate over ten per cent due to a community spread in the state as an “alarm bell for Texas”. The Texas Governor also said that the government will take ‘specific identified steps’ to slow the spread of COVID-19. Shifting the tense situation of the coronavirus outbreak in the state to optimism, Abbott stated that they were able to reduce the COVID-19 spread in April and in May and they will do it ‘once again’. He also expressed the willingness of the administration to do both, help all families who are impacted with the coronavirus outbreak along with containing the heath crisis. 

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