Greg Abbott.Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty
Texas Gov.Greg Abbotthas tested positive forCOVID-19.
A spokesman, Mark Miner, announced the governor’s test resultin a statementon Tuesday.
Miner said it was a breakthrough infection as Abbott was “fully vaccinated” and that he remains in “good health” and was “currently experiencing no symptoms.”
“The Governor has been testing daily, and today was the first positive test result,” Miner said. “Governor Abbott is in constant communication with his staff, agency heads, and government officials to ensure that state government continues to operate smoothly and efficiently.”
Miner added that Abbott was receiving Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment, was isolating in the governor’s mansion and would continue to take daily COVID-19 tests.
“Everyone that the Governor has been in close contact with today has been notified,” Miner said.
Abbott’s wife, Cecilia, tested negative for COVID-19, he said.
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Breakthrough cases— COVID-19 infections that occur in people who have been fully vaccinated against the virus — are rare, but possible and expected, as the vaccines are not 100 percent effective in preventing infections.
Still, vaccinated people who test positive will likely be asymptomatic or experience a far milder illness than if they were not vaccinated. The majority of deaths from COVID-19 — around 98 to 99 percent —are in unvaccinated people.
Abbott has been a controversial leader during the pandemic for challenging public health guide on preventing infections.
The Houston Chroniclereportedthat there were about 600 people at the event.
Texas has been experiencing one of the biggest surges of the virus in the country, as the more contagious delta variant leads to new infections. On Tuesday the state reportedlyrequested five mortuary trucksfrom the federal government to aid with an influx of dead bodies.
Texas hospitals are also running out of space: Five regions have no remaining hospital ICU beds, and seven others have less than 10,according to state data.
On Tuesday, the state alsoreported more than 20,000 new casesof COVID-19 and 96 fatalities related to the virus, according to data from the Department of State Health Services.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
