TEXAS – Texas and California are neck and neck when it comes to confirmed cases of COVID-19. The Texas Department of State Health Services as of Tuesday reported 867,075 total confirmed cases. California reported 901,010.
However, data compiled by NBC News puts Texas at 910,124 and California at 909,161. California had been leading the nation in confirmed cases, but at the very least Texas is closing the gap.
The statistics may not be shocking given Texas and California are the country’s two most populous states. Still, Texas’ recent surge is concerning.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, Mexico has 891,160 confirmed cases, putting it on par with Texas. A recent explosion in cases in the El Paso area has made hospital beds scarce and prompted a curfew between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Texas on Monday reported 4,418 new cases. All but one of the state’s 254 counties has reported cases. El Paso County alone has reported 40,887 cases.
Texas has sent more than 900 medical personnel to the El Paso area, and 50 beds have been set up in the city’s convention center.
The situation is worsening after President Donald Trump last week downplayed the Texas spike during the debate in Nashville.
“There was a very big spike in Texas, it’s now gone,” he said.
Texas’ uptick comes as temperatures cool, which may help the virus to spread more easily as people spend more time indoors, and an order from the governor which is allowing many bars in the state to operate at 50% capacity.
As of Tuesday, Texas additionally reported 17,514 fatalities attributed to the virus and an estimated 758,192 recoveries.