Local leaders release new guidelines to prevent COVID-19 spread

Officials confirmed on Thursday afternoon that a Houston COVID-19 patient was at the rodeo on Sunday, March 8.

Leaders from two area counties give new recommendations on how to protect our community from the COVID-19 virus.

“We are trying to be smart, to get ahead of the curve. To protect ultimately the health of our entire community and to ensure that we don’t have a collapse of our healthcare capacity," Judge Hidalgo said at a press conference on Thursday.

To stay ahead, the county is offering these recommendations:

 - Gatherings of over 250 people should be canceled or postponed.

 - Any gathering where you will be in close with other people should be avoided.

 - Visiting a senior center or nursing home should be limited.

 - If you are at a higher risk for getting sick, please stay home.

 - Lastly, employers should encourage telecommuting.

Harris County also announced that there would be a slight disturbance with public offices, like jury duty being postponed, also toll roads won’t accept cash payments, instead, you’ll drive through and pay later.

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An update on how the patients are doing was also given.

“The individuals are either hospitalized and doing stable...they’re doing well or they’re at home recovering," Dr.Umair Shah of the Harris County Health Department said.

Fort Bend County was the first case in the area and is now at six cases.

Jacquelyn Johnson-Minter, the Director of Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Department tells us about the first case of COVID-19.

“That case is still in the hospital. He’s still stable. The other five cases that we had: one was in the hospital, was released and is at home doing much better. The other four have had their symptoms completely resolve," she said.

“The officer primarily performs administrative functions with the department. The officer has written no citations, made no arrest, and answered no calls for service in the past two weeks. He has little to no contact with the public as part of his official function in that time period," Shannon Sharp the Chief of the Patton Village Police Department tells us.

Chief Sharp also tells us that the officer is in the hospital, he has had little to no contact with the people of Patton Village since February 27, and that measures have been taken to clean the police station and patrol vehicles.

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