TEXAS — The Texas Department of State Health Services on Sunday reported 12,097 new cases of COVID-19 in the state, 11,444 of which are confirmed and 653 of which are probable.
More notably, 13,106 Texans are now hospitalized with the disease.
The state health agency additionally reported 66 new fatalities attributed to the virus. There are only 372 available ICU beds throughout the state. Texas is home to nearly 30 million people.
The latest numbers for Texas come as major vaccine announcements were made Monday morning.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for Americans 16 years of age and older, the first coronavirus vaccine to receive such clearance from federal regulators.
Following that announcement, the Pentagon announced that they are moving forward with a plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all U.S. service members.
The Pentagon "is prepared to issue updated guidance requiring all service members to be vaccinated," spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday, adding that "a timeline for vaccination completion will be provided in the coming days."
This past weekend, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that less than a week after testing positive for the virus, he is now testing negative but remains in isolation at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin at the behest of doctors. Despite the positive diagnosis, the governor remains opposed to mask and vaccine mandates.
U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas says that he’s tested positive for COVID-19 and has moderate symptoms.
Nehls, a Republican from the Houston area, said Saturday that he is fully vaccinated and hopes the symptoms pass soon.
“All Americans are free to make their own health decisions, but I strongly encourage getting vaccinated,” he wrote on Twitter Saturday. “It is scientifically proven to drastically reduce the risk of severe illness & death from COVID.”
Nehls, the former sheriff of Fort Bend County who was elected to Congress last year, had said on Wednesday that a close family member had tested positive.
Nehls said he has been quarantining at home and will continue to do so for at least the next 10 days.
State Sen. Sen. José Menéndez, D-District 26, over the weekend took to social media to share his family’s struggle with the virus.
Although most of his family members remained asymptomatic or only experienced mild symptoms, the senator struggled with a great deal of sickness.
“What I will tell you is that this COVID is nothing to play with. I unfortunately suffered very high fevers, chills, uncontrollable shaking, difficulty breathing, difficulty avoiding severe congestion, tightness in [my] chest,” he said. “And I believe that had I not been vaccinated I’d probably be either in an ICU or may not even be here.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
