The numbers of coronavirus patients in Houston and Texas continue to rise as of this morning.
The Houston area is now reporting 2,968 cases of COVID-19 with 44 deaths. The city of Houston now has 1,145 cases; ten people have died. Harris County has 664 cases with 12 deaths.
The state of Texas with 8,152 cases of the coronavirus and 153 deaths. Ten more states have more cases of the disease than Texas, and during yesterday's briefing, President Trump credited Governor Greg Abbott for how he's handling the outbreak.
"The Governor is doing a great job over there with the situation," Trump explained. "Texas is so big; you have some parts of the state that are affected and other parts that aren't affected at all. It's an incredible place.
Elsewhere:
- A pair of HEB workers have tested positive for the virus. Conflicting reports say it's at either the Bunker Hill or a Grand Parkway location.
- About 30 people at a nursing home in Texas City are being tested with hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug, to see if it could be a successful treatment.
- The Harris County Commissioners Court is working to approve a $10 million small business loan fund to help business hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. The court meets this morning at 10.
- The University of St. Thomas is offering the use of an empty residence hall room to hospitals for workers on the front lines of the fight against the virus.
- Harris County is building a medical shelter at NRG Center, but County Judge Lina Hidalgo calls that a "last resort."
- And medical officials say when you are done with things like latex gloves, don't just throw them on the ground; that could actually help spread the virus.