FILE – This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. On Tuesday, April 21, 2020, U.S. health regulators OK’d the first coronavirus test that allows people to collect their own sample at home, a new approach that could help expand testing options in most states. The sample will still have to be shipped for processing back to LabCorp, which operates diagnostic labs throughout the U.S. (NIAID-RML via AP)
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A report shows Abilene has one of the highest growth rates of COVID-19 cases in the country.
The New York Times report, released earlier this week, projects Abilene to be a potential hotspot for the virus in the coming weeks, due to how quickly the number of cases grows each day.
In the report, Abilene is attributed an 11% growth rate, with the number of cases doubling every 6.8 days.
This is the fourth highest growth rate in the country and the top in Texas, beating out Amarillo, the only other Texas city on the list, by two spots.
The data, due to the delayed nature of reporting, is a little dated, so for some perspective, when the chart was made, Abilene had 270 reported cases and now has 319. Amarillo had 637 cases and now has 806.
Mayor Anthony Williams says Abilene’s growth rate is so high compared to other similar-sized Texas cities because more tests are being administered here.
Updated numbers on COVID-19 cases in Abilene are released each afternoon. Stick with BigCountryHomepage for the latest.
By: Erica Garner
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