AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The border city of Laredo has become one of the biggest coronavirus hotspots in the nation.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday that more medical personnel and equipment were on the way as roughly half of the area's hospitals beds are now filled by COVID-19 patients.
More than 8,900 new virus cases have been reported in Laredo and surrounding Webb County over the past two weeks, making it one of the highest per-capita outbreaks in the country.
The spike comes as January is set to be the deadliest month of the pandemic in Texas. More than 400 new COVID-19 deaths were reported Friday.