BEAUMONT, Texas — The governor spent a lot of time countering claims Tuesday afternoon.
Gov. Greg Abbott said it's all about the context behind the numbers. Today marks a record high for the number of positive cases in the state.
So, Gov. Abbott wanted to address the reasons behind the surge.
"What's even more important than these daily numbers are the reasons behind these numbers," the governor said.
Last week Jefferson County reported 500 plus cases. “Beaumont and Jefferson County average between 12 and 15 cases per day. On June 10, they had 537 that tested positive,” the governor said.
We've reported that this was a "data dump" of sorts. Not a one-day total, but a change in how local health departments are reporting positive cases in the prison population.
On Tuesday, 2,622 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Texas. What's the context behind this new record-high number? The governor said this is the trend.
The numbers show, “a majority of the people who are testing positive in that county are under the age of 30 and they are typically going to bar type settings,” the governor said.
He's urging younger Texans to take the virus seriously and points to a warning by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which said bars and restaurants could lose their licenses for 30 days if they do not follow state guidelines.
Hospitalizations are also on the rise. They have been up 67 percent since Memorial Day. But the governor said those in the hospital only make up a small percentage of all cases.
“Only about 10 percent or less who test positive for COVID-19 ever need to go to the hospital in the first place. And when they do, there is a hospital bed available for them to be treated,” the governor said.
Gov. Abbott spoke repeatedly about personal responsibility, calling on Texans to wear a mask, wash and sanitize their hands and practice social distancing.
He said there is no plan to mandate wearing a mask and will not resort to fining someone who does not. The governor said it comes down to personal accountability.
