Gov. Greg Abbott

In an effort to stem the ongoing and increasing surge in COVID-19 infections, Gov. Greg Abbott today (Friday, June 26) ordered bars in the state to close back down completely and restaurants to reduce in-person dining again from 75 percent to 50 percent of occupancy. He has also shut down river-rafting trips and banned outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people without approval from local officials.

The move to put the brakes on reopening comes as the Texas Department of Health and Human Services reports another new record of 5,996 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, June 25, the third straight day with more than 5,000 reported. HHS today reports 131,917 cases total in Texas since the epidemic began, with an estimated 2,296 fatalities.

Dallas County has had a total of 18,135 cases, according to the HHS website, and 328 deaths. Tarrant County has had 9,846 cases and 215 deaths. Both counties now require that employees and customers at businesses wear face masks.

(NOTICE FROM THE CITY OF FORT WORTH: Face coverings are now required in all Fort Worth businesses and at outdoor gatherings with more than 100 people. Mayor Betsy Price issued an executive order on Thursday that goes into effect at 6 p.m. Friday and continues through 6 a.m. Aug. 3. Tarrant County issued a similar order on Thursday.)

Harris County remains the biggest COVID hot spot in Texas, with 25,786 reported cases and 346 deaths to date.

In a press release this morning, Abbott acknowledged, “At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars. The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health.

He added, “We want this to be as limited in duration as possible. However, we can only slow the spread if everyone in Texas does their part. Every Texan has a responsibility to themselves and their loved ones to wear a mask, wash their hands, stay six feet apart from others in public, and stay home if they can.”

Abbott’s move today comes amid increasing concerns that the state’s hospitals are being overwhelmed, warnings reinforced by the fact that the state on Thursday set another new record for COVID hospitalizations — 4,739 — for the 14th day in a row. Earlier this week Abbott banned elective surgeries in the state’s four largest counties (Harris, Dallas, Tarrant and Bexar) to try and free up hospital space. According to Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson’s office, on Wednesday, June 24, the city had 6,083 hospital beds total, and 4,223 — or 65.38 percent — are occupied. Of the 942 ICU beds available, 682 — 72.4 percent — are occupied. Of the 959 available ventilators, 336 — 35 percent — are in use.

Even has he orders bars to close and restaurants to cut back on occupancy limits, Abbott said earlier this week that shutting the state down completely again would be a last resort.

When, in early May, he allowed the state to begin reopening more quickly than initially planned — thanks to pressure from right-wingers rallying around Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther who was sentenced to jail after being cited for reopening her business in violation of county restrictions — Abbott said that if the positivity rate in the state — the ratio of tests administered to positive results — rose above 10 percent, it would be necessary to revisit the process. Yesterday, the positivity rate stood at 11.76 percent.

— Tammye Nash