Elective surgeries suspended in dozens more Texas counties to expand hospital capacity
AUSTIN - Elective surgeries will be suspended in counties located in 11 Trauma Service Areas, known as TSAs, in Texas starting Friday at noon.
Governor Greg Abbott issued a Proclamation on Thursday that expanded the suspension beyond hospitals in the counties of Bexar, Cameron, Dallas, Harris, Hidalgo, Nueces, Travis, and Webb.
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"The State of Texas continues to implement strategies to help ensure ample supply of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients," said Gov. Abbott in a statement. "By expanding this directive to include the counties within these 11 TSAs, we are freeing up more resources to address upticks in COVID-19 related cases."
The news comes as cases continue to surge throughout the state, which hit a single-day record-high of 10,028 new cases on Tuesday.
MORE: Texas passes 10,000 confirmed new virus cases in single day on Tuesday, Houston reports 1,000+
Texas reported its deadliest day of the pandemic with nearly 100 new deaths on Wednesday as newly confirmed cases continued soaring and Austin began preparations to turn the downtown convention center into a field hospital.
The 98 reported deaths in Texas set a record one-day high, surpassing the record 60 deaths reported a day earlier. Texas is now reporting a total of 2,813 deaths.
"Under his Proclamation, the Governor directs all hospitals in these counties to postpone surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient who without immediate performance of the surgery or procedure would be at risk for serious adverse medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient’s physician," according to a release from the governor's office.
The following counties are included in the Governor's Proclamation:
All counties within TSA J—Andrews, Brewster, Crane, Ector, Glasscock, Howard, Jeff Davis, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward, and Winkler counties;
All counties within TSA K—Coke, Concho, Crockett, Irion, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reagan, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton, and Tom Green counties;
All counties within TSA M—Bosque, Falls, Hill, Limestone, and McLennan counties;
All counties within TSA O that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27—Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, San Saba, and Williamson counties;
All counties within TSA P that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27—Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Wilson, and Zavala counties;
All counties within TSA Q that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27—Austin, Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, and Wharton counties;
All counties within TSA R—Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, and Orange counties;
All counties within TSA S—Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, and Victoria counties;
All counties within TSA T that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27—Jim Hogg and Zapata counties;
All counties within TSA U that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27—Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, McMullen, Refugio, and San Patricio counties; and
All counties within TSA V that are not already covered by Executive Order GA-27—Starr and Willacy counties.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.