Governor continues battle to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Published 3:15 pm Tuesday, March 24, 2020

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By Dawn Burleigh

Texas Governor Gregg Abbott held a press conference in a Texas Department of Public Safety warehouse on Tuesday to assure Texans of the supply of personal protection equipment for doctors, nurses and first responders.

Abbott said 65 Texas counties have been impacted by the new coronavirus. There have been 11 deaths and 715 positive tests.

“You can expect the number of tests to continue to go up every day,” he said.

The governor announced a new executive order that requires hospitals to submit daily reports on bed capacity and COVID-19 tests.

The state is assembling and dispersing equipment such as masks, gloves, gowns and tents as quickly as it comes in.

“By the end of the week, we will be receiving 100,000 masks a day,” Abbott said. “We will have one million plus per week coming in.”

Abbott also said there is a strong need for doctors, nurses and those in the medical field who would like to volunteer.

“Doctors and nurses are the soldiers on the front line in this,” Abbott said.   “We need more soldiers.”

To volunteer or to donate medical supplies such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection-control products visit www.texas.gov