BEAUMONT, Texas — Texas continues moving in the wrong direction logging more than 8,000 new cases today. That's 1,000 more than yesterday's previous high.
Hospitalizations are inching near 7,000 in Texas, and here in the Golden Triangle, we're also experiencing a spike.
190 cases have been reported in Southeast Texas Wednesday. This comes as leaders in the medical field in Southeast Texas plea with folks to wear face masks.
The letter was written by CEO's and presidents from Baptist, Christus, the Medical Center of Southeast Texas and the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council.
Dr. Rey Callas is one of the doctors whom signed the letter. He said there's no political agenda surrounding wearing a mask. It's about saving and protecting lives from an enemy you can't see.
"The letter started about two and a half, three weeks ago," Dr. Callas said.
Six signatures are on a letter written by local medical leaders on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19. Dr. Callas said this isn't about politics.
"I'm not taking away your freedom. I am trying to educated you that a mask is not saying you are giving up the fight. A mask it allowing you to say I am part of the solution to be a part of this team to get rid of this god-awful virus," Dr. Callas said.
The first sentence of the letter sets the tone: "...we are deeply concerned."
That concern is coming from the rise in hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients.
"As we see more and more people being admitted to the hospital, our concerns are that we don't want to limit the bed capacity, so we can’t take care of other Southeast Texans," Dr. Callas said.
The doctors wrote that COVID-19 is "spreading quickly because too many people thought it was safe to go back to life as usual."
Last week, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick spoke out about criticism he was facing after issuing his county mask mandate. He said he is taking his cues from the medical professionals.
"We want to make sure businesses that are deemed non-essential by the department of homeland security don't have to close again," Judge Branick said.
Dr. Callas says flattening the curve starts with three easy steps:
"We just saying, let's do three things. One, let's social distance. Two let's use hand sanitizer. And three, wear a mask. That's all we are asking."
MORE| Read full letter here
