Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced additions to a task force being sent to Amarillo, Texas, where the governor announced 700 people have tested positive for COVID-19.
The cases appear to be tied to several meat-packing plants in the region.
Abbott announced that several plants have been shut down.
Members of the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force and Texas National Guard were sent to the area on May 5 to gather information on the booming number of cases with the results announced Saturday.
“As Texas continues ramping up its testing capabilities, there will be an increase in positive cases as the state targets the most high-risk areas: nursing homes, meat packing plants and jails,” Abbott said in a statement. “That is exactly why I established Surge Response Teams. By immediately deploying resources and supplies to these high risk areas, we will identify the positive cases, isolate the individuals and ensure any outbreak is quickly contained, which is the strategy being deployed in Amarillo.”
Members of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Department of State Health Services and BCFS Health and Human Services are now also responding to the area, the governor announced.
