AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott gave an update Tuesday on the state's efforts to fight the coronavirus.
The governor expanded his executive order, which "in short," means Texans are expected to stay home unless they are doing an activity or work somewhere listed as essential. A list of essential services can be found online. If Texans must leave their home, they must follow the "presidential standard of distancing practices," Abbott said.
He also extended school closures in Texas until May 4.
On Sunday, the governor expanded his measure that orders people coming in to Texas from certain places to be quarantined for 14 days.
People coming in from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Orleans, Miami, Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, California or Washington state will now be required to be quarantined for 14 days, or for as long as they plan to stay in Texas.
Abbott also said the number of hospital beds available to treat coronavirus patients doubled last week, from 8,100 on March 18 to "more than 16,000" as of Friday. He attributed the increase to his recent order postponing non-essential surgeries.
As of 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, there were 3,344 cases of coronavirus in Texas, and 49 deaths related to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
