Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Tests Positive For COVID-19
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been fully vaccinated, has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office announced Tuesday. Abbott has opposed mask mandates and his orders have drawn legal challenges.
The Republican governor is experiencing no symptoms and "has been testing daily, and today was the first positive test result," his office said.
Updated August 17, 2021 at 5:52 PM ET
Abbott "will isolate in the Governor's Mansion and continue to test daily. Governor Abbott is receiving Regeneron's monoclonal antibody treatment," the statement said.
Texas first lady Cecilia Abbott tested negative.
With more than 16,000 new daily cases, Texas is one of the states with the highest risk of COVID.
Last week, Abbott directed state officials to use staffing agencies to find additional medical personnel from outside Texas as the state's resources became overwhelmed. He also asked hospitals to postpone all elective medical procedures voluntarily.
The Biden administration is suing the state of Texas to block Abbott's order for state troopers to stop vehicles carrying migrants on grounds that the migrants may spread COVID-19. But medical experts say migrants are no more likely to have the coronavirus than any other travelers who are crossing the border, or anyone living in U.S. COVID-19 hot spots. [Copyright 2021 NPR]
