New Cases, Hospitalizations Surge In South Texas Hotspots
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: The coronavirus crisis in Texas is deepening by the day and in South Texas, particularly Hidalgo County, the situation has become dire. In fact, health experts are describing it as a tsunami of patients that's wreaking havoc and overwhelming the hospitals. And as officials race to stem the outbreak, the Hidalgo County judge has issued a shelter-in-place order for everyone who lives there starting today. But Texas Governor Greg Abbott isn't having it and his office is calling the order, quote/unquote, "an unenforceable recommendation." Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez joins me now. Judge Cortez, welcome. 2</s>JUDGE RICHARD CORTEZ, HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS: Thank you, Brooke. Good afternoon.</s>BALDWIN: So first, your response to the governor that what you say doesn't go.</s>CORTEZ: Well, I obviously don't agree with that. You know, Brooke, we're in a desperate situation. Two months ago, when I had control of the county, we had this virus under control by simply following the CDC recommendations for guidelines. After the governor opened it up and I understand why he did it and we needed to open Texas, but we've lost control. So, to me it makes sense that we go back and follow the guidelines that helped us control this disease two months ago then we all turn this thing around. Right now, we're in a desperate situation. Our hospitals are full, our mortuaries are full. We have tired -- doctors tired, nurses tired, technicians. We, in the last eight days, not counting yesterday, we were averaging 624 people testing positive with 22 deaths. Yesterday we had 49 die and today already we have 33. So, to me this is extreme, and I have to do everything possible. I have to do everything possible to stop it and one way, to keep people at home, they're not going to get infected.</s>BALDWIN: Have you had a conversation with the governor about this? I mean, obviously, you know all the numbers. You know the governor knows the numbers too. Why do you think he's fighting you on this?</s>CORTEZ: You know, I can't speak for him. But yes, I had a conversation, in fact, with him yesterday through Zoom. We did talk about all of the needs of the county. We talked about the needs for the hospitals. The needs for staffing and the needs for enforcement. Basically, I think he prefers that we use the vehicle of a curfew as opposed to a shelter in place. Because we do have a right to issue a curfew. But again, I want to go back to the things that work for us when we had it totally under control and that is why I want to do this. And I only asked our citizens for two weeks, two weeks, two weeks. I don't believe that is asking too much and I would like to support not only the governor but our president and everybody else who wants this thing to continue, no one. But we can't wish for it to stop. We have to make it stop and take the appropriate action to make it stop.</s>BALDWIN: I imagine you made your case to the governor on Zoom. I'm assuming since you're not telling me otherwise that he's basically still standing his ground and saying no to the shelter-in-place. Will you just confirm that for me? And also, what -- what then is your second-best option?</s>CORTEZ: Well, in answer to your first question, we have 254 counties in Texas. Ours happens to be the seventh largest. We're a little over a million people here. We have counties that have as few as 5,000 people. So, we know that each county in Texas is -- has a lot of similarities but we're all unique. I think that their strong argument, we have a small county with less population. You don't need some of those rules. But again, who knows best than we do that are actually living here to what is best for us. So, I think you should allow local officials more control over all counties. I live close to the border so we're unique because we live close to the border. Other counties are close to Louisiana. Other counties are close to Oklahoma and --</s>BALDWIN: How hopeful are you, Judge -- I'm running out of time, just how hopeful are you that the governor will see eye to eye with you. I understand that you know - you know what is best for your county?</s>CORTEZ: We have a very good conversation yesterday and I believe he's receiving some good information from us and I hope that the at end he will come to the realization that I think that would be a good decision to give local officials more control.</s>BALDWIN: OK. Let's follow up and see if that happens. Judge Cortez, in the meantime, stay well, stay healthy. Thank you very much.</s>CORTEZ: Thank you very much for caring.</s>BALDWIN: You got it. And I should mention to all of you, Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta with special guest Bill Gates will answer your questions about this pandemic. The new "Global Town Hall: Coronavirus Facts and Fears" begins tomorrow night at 8:00 Eastern. In just a few moments, President Trump will be expected to lay out his plan for sending in federal officers into Democrat-led cities. But after tear gas and unmarked vehicles and controversial arrests in Portland, Oregon, is this what is in store for the rest of the country? We're live next.