Many local officials and business leaders along the border say that the rhetoric is misplaced and that the broader needs of their communities can often get lost.

HIDALGO COUNTY – More than 2,000 people in Hidalgo County have died as a result of COVID-19. They’re now a part of a photo collage on the billboards for the entire Rio Grande Valley to see and to remember. Three billboards in Hidalgo County memorialize hundreds of COVID-19 victims. The billboard is a... Posted by Hidalgo County on Monday, December 21, 2020Cortez is no stranger to coronavirus, having recently tested positive himself. Three billboards in Hidalgo County memorialize hundreds of COVID-19 victims.

FORT WORTH, Texas – A North Texas medical examiner’s office has brought in two refrigerated trucks to store dead bodies in response to low capacity amid a surge in coronavirus cases. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, which has a capacity normally of 100 bodies, said each truck can store 50 bodies. Also Thursday, a South Texas county that has been hit especially hard by the pandemic announced that its county judge, the county's highest elected official, tested positive for COVID-19. The Texas Department of State Health Services said that 9,045 people with the coronavirus were hospitalized Thursday. State health officials on Thursday reported 12,211 new confirmed cases and 244 new deaths.

As daily case counts and hospitalizations across Texas tick upward, local health officials are cracking down on Halloween. If families still choose to go trick-or-treating, Austin health officials are asking that they only go with household members, keep 6 feet from others and use hand sanitizer between houses. “This year, we are encouraging families to make new traditions,” said Austin Public Health director Stephanie Hayden. “There’s some [parents] that are screaming and yelling about how can we keep their children from enjoying Halloween traditions, and there’s some that say thank you for keeping us safe,” Cortez said. It’s not quite the same, but it’s hopefully good enough to give him a little bit of a Halloween experience.”

HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas – Hidalgo County reported its first COVID-19 related pediatric death on Friday, according to county officials. The child’s death is one of the 20 deaths related to COVID-19 complications announced Friday. This brings the total number of cases in Hidalgo County to 21,806. To learn more about the COVID-19 numbers in Hidalgo County, click here. RELATED: Bexar County adds 150 new COVID-19 cases

MCALLEN, TX – Hidalgo County issued a new county order Monday mandating all individuals to stay at home and shelter in place as cases in Hidalgo County spike significantly. Additionally, the order mandates a curfew for all persons ages 18 and over from 10 p.m.-5 p.m., imposing essential travel limitations and requiring residents to wear facial coverings pursuant to the governor’s executive order issued July 2. The county reported 524 additional positive cases Monday and noted that 34 people died after contracting COVID-19, bringing the county’s death toll to 318. Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez said he offered his deepest sympathies and asked the community to do their part to mitigate the spread of the virus. Please continue to Shelter-at-Home, wear facial coverings and limit mass gatherings.”To date, Hidalgo county has reported 12,263 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.

As the Rio Grande Valley grapples with an onslaught of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez is pushing hard for residents to stay at home. But the emergency order he issued Monday mandating that people shelter in their residences, restricting travel and limiting gatherings remains an unenforceable recommendation, according to Gov. In the new Hidalgo emergency order, it also is “highly encouraged and recommended that all commercial businesses” cease their activities, unless they are essential, like activities related to health, safety or necessary supplies. “However, this order does not force businesses to shut down in the Rio Grande Valley.”Cortez did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday. U.S. Navy teams were deployed Sunday to the Rio Grande Valley, a region that includes Hidalgo County.

Texas today resembles the state in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Records for COVID-19-related deaths and hospitalizations are set almost daily and Texas, the state that embarked on one of America’s fastest reopenings, is in retreat. And it has been the deadliest week of the pandemic in Texas, with 95 new deaths reported Friday. Abbott announced at the end of that month that Texas would begin reopening after just a few weeks of stay-at-home orders. Mayors in Texas' big cities and health experts winced at the speed, saying it was too soon.