In several parts of the United States, coronavirus cases are increasing as this health crisis continues. According to CNN, one county in Texas has seen a significant rise in cases amongst its youngest patients. The publication reported that 85 infants under the age of one tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
Several officials in Texas’ Nueces County, which is where Corpus Christi is located, have opened up about the rise of cases in the area. Annette Rodriguez, the public health director for Corpus Christi Nueces County, urged residents in the area to wear masks and practice social distancing amidst this rise. She shared that 85 babies had tested positive for COVID-19 and added, “These babies have not even had their first birthday yet. Please help us stop the spread of this disease.” Rodriguez did not mention the condition of the children affected by the illness. Peter Zanoni, Corpus Christi’s city manager, also opened up about this news to CNN.
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“Nueces County has the fastest growth in new cases on the seven-day average than any other metropolitan county in the state,” Zanoni said. “You can see the trend line is relatively flat until July, and this is where we have had that huge spike in cases, and this is why it’s turned into a major problem for Nueces County.” As of right now, Corpus Christi has around 8,100 coronavirus cases and 82 deaths linked to the illness. The situation in several Texas counties has become so dire that two state representatives, Joaquin Castro and Sheila Jackson Lee, penned a letter to Governor Greg Abbot to urge him to allow local jurisdictions to issue their own stay-at-home orders to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
“Texas is now not where it should be relating to fighting Covid-19. Therefore, your office should take immediate action to rewind the efforts to reopen the state quickly; which came about by ignoring CDC guidelines,” their letter read, in part. “We need to provide local authority to local counties and cities to do what is in the best interest of their communities.” In addition to penning a letter to the governor, several others in the state have voiced their disapproval of Abbot’s leadership amidst this health crisis. According to the Texas Tribune, fellow state representative Donna Howard said that she does not “believe the governor has shown the leadership we need. I realize it’s a tough job, but the buck stops with him. The Legislature is not in session. He’s the one that’s running the ship.”
