AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas is reporting its fewest coronavirus-related deaths and new cases in a week.

What You Need To Know

  • State numbers released Monday afternoon showed 43 new deaths and 5,655 new cases since Sunday.

  • There was also a slight dip in hospitalizations, though more than 10,000 remain hospitalized.

  • Health experts are urging Texans to remain vigilant because there’s typically a lag in reporting over the weekend.

  • One of Abbott's medical advisers says to safely reopen the economy, it's likely time to go further.

State numbers released Monday afternoon showed 43 new deaths and 5,655 new cases since Sunday. There was also a slight dip in hospitalizations, though more than 10,000 remain hospitalized. But health experts are urging Texans to remain vigilant because there’s typically a lag in reporting over the weekend and the worst is yet to come.

With hospitalizations continuing to reach all-time highs, health experts say that means deaths will rise. The governor has put some more restrictions in place across the state to try to control the spread. But one of his medical advisers says to safely reopen the economy, it's likely time to go further.

"It's time to take some further steps to pull back,” Dr. Mark McClellan, who’s also a former FDA Commissioner, told Capital Tonight’s Karina Kling. “I'm hoping that the governor's recent announcements to do this – the mask order that's gone into effect, the steps around other big gatherings, these are important steps along the way. But as the governor said, we may need to go to more of a lockdown in Texas to get the outbreak under control."

McClellan says they'll be watching the numbers this week and there's a narrow window to announce further restrictions in order to contain the spread.

Click the video link above to watch the full interview with McClellan.