Abbott says Texas has fewest coronavirus fatalities since March, fewest hospitalizations since April
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Memorial Day marked the day that his state had the lowest number of coronavirus-related fatalities since March and the lowest number of hospitalizations from the disease since April.
“Today Texas had the fewest #COVID19 fatalities since the end of March,” the Republican governor tweeted late Monday evening. “We also had the fewest COVID hospitalizations since the middle of April. And, we have the 2nd most recoveries from COVID in America.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Overall the state has had more than 54,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 1,506 deaths from the virus as of Tuesday afternoon.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Texas last week began reporting the number of antibody tests used within overall test results. Health officials had been combining the number of antibody tests with viral tests, which public health experts have said could make for impressive testing totals but does not give a true picture of how the virus is spreading.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Antibody tests show a past infection, while viral tests show active infections. According to data released Thursday, of the 800,433 tests overall in Texas, at least 49,300 were antibody tests.
Abbott gave permission last week to reopen practically every facet of daily life in Texas, including bars and child daycare centers, lifting most full lockdown orders as the state continues one of the nation's swiftest reboots from coronavirus restrictions.
Abbott's sweeping new orders, which he described as a second phase in Texas' reopening, allows zoos and bowling alleys to resume business and lets restaurants and retailers expand the number of customers by the end of the week. They also set up the return of some professional sports, summer camps and summer school by June.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
Abbott said social distancing measures must still be in place, such as limits on customers and no fans at sports events. Theme parks, however, remain closed.
The move pushes one of the world's largest economies toward getting back to business as usual.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democrats, including the mayors of several of the state’s largest cities, have criticized the plan as moving too fast, too soon.
“The people in the city of Houston we want things to open up. We want the economy to open up. We want people back on their jobs," said Mayor Sylvester Turner, a Democrat. "I probably would choose a different pace than what he has chosen ... My only hope and prayer is that several weeks from now, we are not going to see a spike occur.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.