Texas hit by its worst day yet of virus deaths

Texas saw 197 deaths -- the highest daily number ever -- from COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the state's total death toll to 4,348.

The number of infection cases increased by almost 10,000 on the same day to more than 315,100, with a little more 10,000 people hospitalized.

The region by the south border has seen particularly steep increases of infections and deaths. Hidalgo County, which is next to Mexico and has a population of more than 881,000, recorded 49 deaths on Tuesday — the most since the coronavirus pandemic began. Another 33 people died on Wednesday.

In Hidalgo County, coronavirus infections have multiplied more than six times during the past month to more than 13,700 cases. Total deaths reached 400 as of mid-Thursday.

In contrast, in Harris County, with a population of 4.7 million, where Houston is the county seat, the COVID-19 death toll was 576 as of Wednesday.

Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez, a Democrat, issued a shelter-in-place order for residents on Monday to combat the rising infections and deaths. But his order is unenforceable, according to the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

"This order has no enforcement mechanism, which makes it simply a recommendation for those to stay home if they can, which Governor Abbott supports. However, this order does not force businesses to shut down in the Rio Grande Valley," Abbott spokesman John Wittman said.

Hidalgo County has borrowed a refrigerated vehicle from neighboring Starr County to store bodies, according to a valleycentral.com report.

Cortez told Reuters that crematoriums in the Hidalgo area have a waiting list of two weeks, forcing the county to use five refrigerated trucks that can hold 50 bodies each.

Hidalgo's top health official, Dr Ivan Melendez, said that Abbott's move to override local officials is partially responsible for the spike in coronavirus infections.

The state's Democratic members of Congress on Wednesday demanded that Abbott do more to contain the virus, especially in hard-hit Hispanic and African American communities.

"People are dying, and we can't get action," said Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.

Lee and other Texas members of Congress pleaded to Abbott to shut the state down to contain the virus. Representative Joaquin Castro said that local leaders' hands are tied, but Abbott has the authority to change the situation.

Some Texas Republican leaders are accusing Abbott of overreaching for issuing a mandatory mask order.

More than 130 state Republican leaders voted to formally censure Abbott for violating three or more core principles of the Republican Party platform, primarily because of the mandatory mask order he issued.

Abbott had banned local officials from making mask-wearing mandatory earlier during the pandemic. As the situation worsened, he issued a statewide mask mandate at the beginning of July to get the coronavirus surge under control.

The censure, a symbolic expression of disapproval, accused Abbott of violating Republican principles by "creating law via executive order in violation of the separation of the powers of government"; "by failing to preserve the freedoms of Texans"; and "by closing businesses without just cause, denied the people the right to freedom of assembly".