SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff is tightening up his emergency declaration to match up with the new public health disaster declaration announced by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Wolff announced the change in a news conference on Thursday with San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
The change comes after the Metropolitan Health District confirmed 29 COVID-19 cases in Bexar County. Six of those cases were contracted through community spread.
Nirengberg and Wolff say they expect the number to rise as more testing is completed.
Previously, the county’s emergency declaration was not as stringent. It allowed restaurants and bars to continue operating as long as employees abided by the guidelines put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The county’s declaration is in effect until April 3, unless the declaration is extended by Wolff.
Wolff also said his new emergency declaration also includes an order to suspend evictions at this time and penalties on price gouging in the county.
Abbott announced a public health disaster earlier on Thursday, the first one declared in Texas since 1901, as the number of novel coronavirus cases continues to increase.
The governor’s order also runs until April 3, unless Abbott decides to extend it.
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