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UPDATE: Here's the Houston Chronicle's coronavirus live blog for Tuesday, March 24.

10:09 p.m. More than 1,750 people have been tested for the new coronavirus at various sites in Harris County, including United Memorial Medical Center, Butler Stadium and Legacy Community Health, reports the Chronicle's Samantha Ketterer and Zach Despart.

Those numbers don’t represent the total picture, as some private health organizations offer COVID-19 testing but have not reported counts to the public. The number of people who have tested positive through the more publicized efforts are even less clear, and some people still await results at United Memorial despite the hospital first promising answers in as little as 24 hours.

Read more.

9:28 p.m. New details have been released about a stay-at-home order expected to be announced Tuesday for Harris County.

The order will require residents to stay home except for groceries and errands, or if they work in essential industries, in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, county officials with direct knowledge of the plan said.

NEW: @LinaHidalgoTX on Tuesday will issue stay-at-home order for Harris County through April 3. Limits most businesses deemed non-essential to work from home. Residents asked to stay 🏡 except for groceries/errands.

w/@jaspscherer @mmorris011 https://t.co/ZlsaczhsP5 — Zach Despart🖊️ (@zachdespart) March 24, 2020

The directive, which would take effect at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday and apply to unincorporated Harris County as well the city of Houston and other municipalities, would restrict businesses deemed non-essential through April 3.

County officials were working to complete a list of exempt businesses, which will include markets, pharmacies and other stores necessary for daily life to function. Read more.

- Reporters Jasper Scherer, Zach Despart and Mike Morris.

8:39 p.m. A teenage boy was among 40 people who tested positive for COVID-19 at the United Memorial Medical Center, which opened last Thursday, according to a release from U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's office.

The release said 40 positive cases, involving 18 men and 22 women, were found in 744 completed tests as of 3 p.m. Monday. Spokespeople for the Harris County Public Health Department and the Houston Health Department said those cases have not yet been verified by their offices, so the greater Houston area's count would not be impacted.

Calls to Lee's office were not immediately returned Monday night.

"We have contacted all of the appropriate officials and we have contacted these patients to inform them of their results, and remind them of the importance of self-quarantine, as well as the need to inform their healthcare provider," according to the release.

Most of the patients had no recent travel history and are doing well at home. Ten patients said they traveled to places like Spain, United Kingdom, Iceland and New York.

8:04 p.m. After President Trump signaled his intent Monday to soon lift restrictions on public activity in the U.S., Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick said on Fox News he agrees with the president and would be willing to risk his own life to return to normal conditions, reports the Chronicle's Jasper Scherer.

“No one reached out to me and said, as a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance for your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren? And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in,” Patrick said on Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show.

Patrick continued: “I just think there are lots of grandparents out there in this country like me — I have 6 grandchildren — that, what we all care about, and what we love more than anything are those children. And I want to live smart and see through this but I don’t want the whole country to be sacrificed.”

Patrick, 69, is a Republican and avid supporter of Trump.

Adults who are 65 and older face a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A report by the agency, however, found that young adults also make up a big chunk of U.S. coronavirus hospitalizations.

7:40 p.m. The University of Houston announced that two positive COVID-19 cases are tied to the university.

The school did not identify the patients.

"As a community of nearly 53,000 students, faculty and staff, it is reasonable to expect that we will have several cases that will involve members of our community," according to the announcement. "If there are any notifications to be made to potentially exposed individuals, that is handled by the city of Houston’s health department."

Classes began remotely today and will continue through the rest of the semester. Also starting today, UH Parking and Transportation is switching to a demand-based van transportation service for campus. Rides can be requested during operating hours at this Quick Rides site.

7:09 p.m. Brazos County issued a two-week shelter-in-place order, according to The Bryan-College Station Eagle.

Essential services like grocery stores will remain open. Restaurant will continue to operate as takeout-only.

7:01 p.m. During a Monday afternoon press conference, President Donald Trump said he wants to reopen the country for business in weeks, not months, reports the Associated Press.

He also claimed that if closures continue for months, there would be “probably more death from that than anything that we're talking about with respect to the virus," the AP reported.

6:56 p.m. As of this time, there are 812 statewide known cases, an increase of about 89 since this morning, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis.

There are 164 regional cases, including 78 in Houston and Harris County alone -- an increase of 18 cases. There was also two more deaths in the state today, bringing the total up to at least 9.

In total, 10,055 people have been tested. That was an increase of more than 1,299 from yesterday's count. Private testing still comprises the bulk of tests and increases in testing.

6:25 p.m. Three Houston police officers are in quarantine after testing positive for coronavirus, Chief Art Acevedo confirmed Monday.

An additional 190 officers and civilian employees are quarantined as a precaution and monitoring themselves for symptoms. Most of those are people returning from domestic or international travel, he said. Some have started to return to service, he said.

"It's going down every day," he said.

- Reporter St. John Barned-Smith.

6:16 p.m. Galveston County officials will be issuing a shelter-in-place order for all county residents due to the coronavirus outbreak, reports the Chronicle's Nick Powell.

The shelter-in-place order – which has not yet been signed by the county judge or the county’s 13 mayors – was issued after the county reported 6 additional coronavirus cases Monday, bringing the countywide total to 18.

Dr. Philip Keiser, the county’s local health authority, said in a statement the growing number of cases is “evidence of community spread.”

“As we look at the pattern of testing, we can assume (the virus) is everywhere,” Keiser said. “And you should assume that too.”

The shelter-in-place order is effective as of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday and will continue through midnight April 3. The order requires people using shared or outdoor spaces to maintain social distancing of at least six feet from any person when they are outside their residence.

County residents may only leave their residence for “essential activities,” such as obtaining necessary supplies like food or household cleaning products.

The order also mandates that all businesses cease operating during this time period. “Essential businesses” – such as healthcare providers, government offices, and grocery stores – remain open.

5:47 p.m. A Texas DPS employee who told the agency that they tested positive for COVID-19 actually tested negative, according to an announcement.

The unidentified employee worked in the Carrollton Driver License Office.

"In our efforts to notify and work with the public health authorities, it has been brought to the department’s attention that this individual provided us with false information, and in fact, the individual had tested negative for COVID-19," DPS said in a statement. "The department is taking the appropriate disciplinary actions against this employee for providing false information."

Another employee, who worked in the Belton Driver License Office, also said they tested positive for COVID-19.

5:23 p.m. Like Houston, San Antonio-area officials have been working on their own measures to keep people inside their homes, reports the San Antonio Express-News.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Judge Nelson Wolff are expected to share details of a new Stay Home, Work Safe order during a 6 p.m. news conference.

The Chronicle reported earlier today that Harris County officials began drafting shelter-in-place restrictions over the weekend, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

5:18 p.m. Brazoria County is reporting two additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the county's total to 18.

The two patients are:

A male between the ages of 60-70 who resides in Rosharon. He is in stable condition and recovering in home isolation. His case was not travel related.

A male between the ages of 30-40 and resides in Angleton. He is in stable condition.

5:01 p.m. The Montgomery County Animal Shelter is moving to appointments only, reports the Chronicle's Catherine Dominguez.

Starting Tuesday, MCAS will be altering its operations with regards to intake, adoptions, fostering and rescue at its location on Texas 242 in an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

4:41 p.m. Houston will have a recession this year, forecasts Bill Gilmer, economist and director of the Institute for Regional Forecasting at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business.

Assuming a severe outbreak of COVID-19 and an ongoing oil price war that keeps prices around $40 per barrel, Houston may lose 44,000 jobs in the region by the end of the year.

Previously, Houston was projected to add around 60,000 jobs in 2020.

- Reporter Erin Douglas

4:33 p.m. Chambers County implemented a curfew for all residents from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to a news release.

The existing 24-hour curfew for certain people under the age of 18 will remain in effect. The 24-hour curfew applies to juveniles who are not in school, not accompanied by school personnel or a guardian, or not traveling directly to their place of employment or their home.

4:26 p.m. The Harris County Tax Office is offering a three-month extension of all 12-month delinquent property tax payment plans, according to a news release.

Property owners with 12-month installment payment plans will not have to make payments for March, April, or May.The next payments would be due on or before June 30 and payable on a monthly basis from June until the end of the property owner’s initial property tax payment agreement deadline, the release said.

“Due to our area’s current health crisis and resulting economic uncertainties, property owners who are currently on 12-month property tax payment plans will not have to make payments for three months,” said Ann Harris Bennett, the Harris County tax assessor-collector and voter registrar. “Unfortunately, state law mandates that the appropriate late fees still be assessed. However, I hope this extension helps ease property owners’ burdens during this critical time.”

4:18 p.m. The Galveston County Health District announced an additional positive coronavirus case Monday afternoon, bringing the county’s case total to 18, reports the Chronicle's Nick Powell.

The infected person is a girl younger than 10 years old who recently traveled domestically. She is self-quarantined.The health district is conducting epidemiological investigations and is working to quickly identify close contacts for all cases.

“There is evidence of community spread in Galveston County. As we look at the pattern of testing, we can assume it’s everywhere. And you should assume that, too,” said Dr. Philip Keiser, the Galveston County local health authority. “We’re reaching a point where knowing where someone who tested positive lives or shops is not going to protect you. You should assume it is everywhere and take proper precautions.”

3:54 p.m. Montgomery County health officials announced four new cases of COVID-19, including one case involving a female teenager, reports the Chronicle's Catherine Dominguez.

There are now 19 cases in the county. According to the Montgomery County Public Health District, the teen girl lives in southeast Montgomery County and is between 13-19 years old. She is in isolation at her home. She recently traveled to New Orleans.

Three more new cases include a woman in her 20s, who lives in northwest Montgomery County. Read more.

3:48 p.m. A Texas Southern University staff member tested positive for COVID-19, the first case within the TSU community, according to an announcement from the university.

The staff member is symptomatic and is currently hospitalized, the school said. TSU officials are reaching out to students, faculty or anyone else who may have come into contact with the person.

"Please keep this individual and all the others battling the virus across the nation and worldwide in your thoughts," the school said. "We wish them a speedy recovery."

3:42 p.m. Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order to halt elective surgeries in the state includes abortions, reports the Chronicle's Taylor Goldenstein and Jeremy Blackman.

Abbott's office says the effort will free up critical medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statewide order Sunday, Abbott ordered the postponemnet of all elective surgeries as a means to conserve medical supplies needed by hospitals to combat the spread of COVID-19. Under the order, hospitals can’t perform surgeries unless the patient faces an immediate risk for “serious adverse medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient's physician.”

Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office confirmed in a statement Monday that the prohibition applies to “any type of abortion that is not medically necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother.”

3:31 p.m. Lack of COVID-19 testing during the early stages of the outbreak contributed to a relatively high hospitalization rate for patients in the Houston region, reports the Chronicle's Nicole Hensley.

The greater Houston region has a higher hospitalization rate for those who test positive for the novel coronavirus than New York, where the brunt of the nation’s cases and deaths have been recorded, and Wuhan — the Chinese city where the illness originated.

In the seven counties with known COVID-19 infections — Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, Liberty and Chambers — 26% of patients from March 4 through Sunday wound up hospitalized rather than being sent home to quarantine, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of data. The diagnoses are based on the testing of people who are symptomatic with coughing, a fever or shortness of breath.

Read more.

3:26 p.m. Gov. Greg Abbott asked President Donald Trump Monday to issue a major disaster declaration and provide Texas with direct federal aid to address shortages of supplies related to the unfolding coronavirus crisis, reports the Chronicle's Jasper Scherer.

In a letter to the president, Abbott said the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, “is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments.”Abbott added that federal assistance “is necessary to save lives, to protect property, public health, and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a larger disaster.”

The governor said Texas faces shortages of protective and medical equipment, testing supplies, hospital beds and "a healthy and adequate cadre of medical personnel."

3:08 p.m. Harris County reported three new cases of COVID-19, including one woman who has since recovered.

That brings the county total to 54. The patients were identified as:

A 40-49 year-old woman who lives in the Northwest quadrant of Harris County- (recovered)

A 60-69 year-old woman who lives in the Northwest quadrant of Harris County- (community spread)

A 50-59 year-old man who lives in the Northwest quadrant of Harris County- (travel-related)

2:57 p.m. U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat, called on Gov. Greg Abbott to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order, Ben Wermund reports.

"I think the governor has in some areas not been bold enough and not been fast enough," she said. "A statewide rule makes sense, because then we can really kind of work together and everybody is on the same page."

2:45 p.m. TX/RX Labs, a nonprofit fabrication workshop in Houston’s East End, has partnered with Memorial Hermann Hospital to deliver hundreds of face masks as the medical center's supply dwindles, Alex Stuckey reports. Memorial Hermann is testing the nonprofit's procedure mask prototypes this week.

TX/RX is also working with the Texas Medical Center to manufacture respirators, which are in short supply nationally.

2:28 p.m. Two new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Matagorda County. The total number of cases in the county is now six.

2:21 p.m. Harris County felony judges have called for the release of a small group of people detained and facing charges for nonviolent state jail felony offenses, Gabrielle Banks reports.

The release includes around 60 people with charges such as forgery, graffiti, credit card crimes and possession or delivery of marijuana.

The measure is not the "compassionate release" that Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has been seeking. The releases will not make a significant dent or address the populations the sheriff said were most likely to exhaust local resources if they contract COVID-19.

2:15 p.m. A Houston firm is developing a drug that could protect people in close contact with COVID-19 patients from contracting the virus, the Chronicle's Gwendolyn Wu reports.

The drug has been tested on mice and had limited human trials in the United Kingdom, but it is still at least a year away from approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

2 p.m. Harris County officials over the weekend began drafting an order to place further restrictions on public activity in order to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, Zach Despart and Mike Morris report.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Monday morning “it may be that we issue a stay-at-home order or something of the sort.” She said county officials are still assessing whether to do so, and seeking the advice of other local leaders including Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who ordered residents to shelter-in-place Sunday, said that Hidalgo had told him that Harris County is “committed to doing the same.” He said he expects Harris County to issue an order “very soon.”

1:53 p.m. Bexar County and San Antonio officials are working out the details of an order mandating that residents stay home to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Express-News' Joshua Flechter reports. The order could come as early as today.

1:45 p.m. Astronauts may be the best experts on how to survive social isolation. Reporter Andrea Leinfelder compiled tips from astronauts on how you can cope with socially distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak.

1:34 p.m. Houston corporations are largely complying with work-from-home guidance, a survey by the Greater Houston Partnership shows.

Of 62 Houston companies that responded to the GHP survey, 97 percent indicated that they had implemented new teleworking policies for their Houston-area office employees.

Companies that require on-site support from staff for critical operations, such as in the energy, healthcare and manufacturing sectors, largely told GHP that they have shifted to staggered schedules or other protective procedures such as increased sanitization of control panels throughout the day.

-Reporter Erin Douglas

1:15 p.m. Add funeral homes to the growing list of Houston businesses that coronavirus pandemic is taking its toll on.

During a Facebook Live event with the National Funeral Directors Association last week, the CDC suggested funerals can still take place with a 50-person limit, prompting some to consider streaming their funerals online instead, Marcy de Luna reports.

The decision was easy for Trinidad Rivera after her mother died, but the idea of webcasting funeral services is tough for many to grasp. That said, it does allow people who might not otherwise be able to attend to still be part of the service

“How do you mourn under the current restrictions?" Rivera said. "We could also not have a church service because they’ve been canceled. It was blow after blow."

1:00 p.m. A veteran member of the International Olympics Committee (IOC) says the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Christine Brennan of USA Today reports.

“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” IOC Committee member Dick Pound told USA Today. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.”

The IOC said Sunday it will consider delaying the Games and plans to reach a decision within the next four weeks.

12:56 p.m. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that Texas has received $36.9 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of the state's initial funding from Congress' first emergency coronavirus bill.

"The State of Texas is at a crucial stage in our COVID-19 response, and these funds are essential to supporting health authorities throughout the state to scale-up testing and community intervention efforts," Abbott said in a release. "To ensure these resources are used swiftly and effectively, a majority of the funds will go directly to our local health departments which understand best the needs of their communities."

The funds will be used to "strengthen Texas’ community intervention efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and preserve critical healthcare, workforce, and infrastructure functions, while minimizing social and economic impact," the release states.

12:53 p.m. Shelter-in-place orders are being prepared for Travis County and the city of Austin, according to the Austin American Statesman.

BREAKING: Austin and Travis County are preparing shelter-in-place orders that would further restrictions on social movement to tamp down spread of the coronavirus https://t.co/5EBZcOynLG — Austin Statesman (@statesman) March 23, 2020

“We want to make sure that we are prepared,” Mayor Steve Adler told the Statesman. ”(A shelter in place order) is part of the emergency planning that is happening. There are discussions happening right now to that issue.”

Adler also told the Statesman that the drafts of the order are similar to the restrictions Dallas County put into place Sunday.

12:44 p.m. There are 26 new cases in Texas, bringing the state total to 749. There are now cases in 59 counties. Texas now has 9 reported coronavirus deaths.

The new cases are:

Deaf Smith: 1 (2)

Tarrant: 10 (57)

Brazoria: 2 (16)

Castro: 1 (2)

Galveston: 5 (17)

Hidalgo: 2 (2)

Jefferson: 1 (3)

Morris: 1 (1)

Randall: 2 (20)

Williamson: 4 (13)

Dallas: 24 (155)

Harris County has not provided updates yet. As of now, there are 153 cases in the region and 74 in Harris County.

More than 10,000 people have been tested, an increase of nearly 1,300 from yesterday's count. Private lab testing is driving the increase. There were 57 public tests compared to 1,242 new private tests.

-Reporters Stephanie Lamm and Jordan Rubio

12:19 p.m. Dallas County's order to shelter-in-place went into effect at 11:59 on Monday and will continue through April 3.

12:09 p.m. A research staff employee at the MD Anderson Cancer Center has tested positive for COVID-19, according to officials at the Houston hospital.



The staff member did not have contact with any patients, according to a statement released by the center, and is being treated at another hospital. All MD Anderson employees who were in contact with the person who tested positive are being monitored and are self-quarantined.

11:58 a.m. Nearly 269,000 hotel supported jobs will be lost in Texas due to the coronavirus, according to an analysis of Oxford Economics data by the American Hotel and Lodging Association. The analysis finds that 44 percent of hotel employees in the U.S. will lose or already have lost their job in the coming weeks, the Chronicle's Erin Douglas reports.

11:54 a.m. Dr. Kelley Moon, a doctor in Nacogdoches who struggled to get tested for the new coronavirus for herself and an ailing patient, learned Monday she has tested negative, reports Jenny Deam.

11:40 a.m. Local public officials are still doing their due diligence into whether to issue a shelter in place order in Harris County, but there’s strong support from one key group: Texas Medical Center leaders.

William McKeon, the medical center’s president and CEO, said Monday that the presidents of TMC hospitals and other institutions were “unanimous in our strong recommendation to move to shelter in place” during the day’s morning conference call about the new coronavirus.

"The facts are clear," said McKeon. "Earlier and more aggressive restriction of public movement is much more effective at reducing community spread of COVID-19 than later and less aggressive restrictions."

McKeon said the recommendation "that our civic leaders invoke a shelter-in-place order to further reduce community spread of this virus" follows active review of Texas, U.S. and international data related to the pandemic. He added that "every member of our community plays a significant role in this effort. We must come together by standing apart."

TMC leaders echoed the sentiment. In comments emailed to the Chronicle Monday, Houston Methodist President Dr. Marc Boom said, “Every data point says it is better to act sooner than later, and the earlier we act, the sooner we can flatten the curve. This makes it crystal clear that we all have a role in stopping this disease.”

Dr. Paul Klotman, president of Baylor College of Medicine, said Sunday that a shelter in place is appropriate for urban areas like Houston, calling it “appropriate to try to get ahead of this in dense population.” He said there is probably not now such a need in rural Texas.

Klotman said he expects local officials to order a shelter in place early this week.

“This is all about stopping the magnitude of COVID-19, and a big value of this is it lets people know how serious this is,” said Boom. “We need to fight this disease together.”

-Reporter Todd Ackerman

11:36 a.m. Fort Bend County amended its disaster order Saturday to include the closure of hair salons, nail salons and other personal entertainment venues, Brooke Lewis reports.

The order also covers gyms, fitness centers, massage and tattoo parlors, spas, game rooms, bingo halls and movie theaters. The order went into effect on Saturday and lasts until April 3.

11:32 a.m. Houston ISD officials have created an online portal for distance-learning tools that will serve students and parents throughout the extended closure caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Jacob Carpenter reports.

The school system is also is seeking responses to a survey, available here, asking about students’ technology and social welfare needs. District officials said staffers will be contacting families this week to gauge their access to technology, with plans to distribute paper materials to students who cannot access computers.

11:28 a.m. The Galveston County Health District on Monday announced five more positive coronavirus cases, bringing the county’s case total to 17.

The patients are all self-quarantined and include:

-A man in his 20s with recent international travel.

-A man in his 50s with recent domestic travel.

-A man in his 40s with recent domestic travel.

-A man in his 20s with recent international travel.

-A man in his 60s with recent domestic travel.

The health district said it is conducting epidemiological investigations and is working to quickly identify close contacts for all cases.

11:23 a.m. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Monday said two testing sites for the new coronavirus are now open to the general public and can examine 250 patients per day, reports Zach Despart.

The county judge urged residents to use an online screening tool to determine whether they need to be tested. As testing supplies are still limited, Houston and Harris County health officials say the focus for tests should be high-risk patients such as the elderly, immunocompromised and people who have had direct contact with someone who contracted coronavirus.

11:13 a.m. The Brazoria County Health Department on Monday announced two new confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the county's total to 16, the Chronicle's Nick Powell reports.

The people who tested positive include an Angleton woman between the ages of 20-30. She is in stable condition and recovering in home isolation.

The second individual is a Pearland man between the ages of 50-60. He is in stable condition and recovering in home isolation.

Neither of these cases are travel related and the Brazoria County Health Department is actively investigating them.

11 a.m. Because Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster due to the spread of COVID-19, Texas public agencies may temporarily suspend the usual deadlines for responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, according to Attorney General Ken Paxton.

10:40 a.m. There are currently 723 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Texas and there have been seven deaths in the state so far. Click here for interactive case tracking compiled by the Chronicle's Jordan Ray.

10:25 a.m. Safeway, which is owned by Albertsons Companies, will provide a $2 per hour increase in pay for its Texas grocery workers at Tom Thumb, Albertsons, Randalls and United Supermarkets stores during the coronavirus outbreak, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union said today.

10:21 a.m. The pandemic has altered plans for many engaged couples planning their weddings. The Chronicle's Amber Elliot spoke with some who have had to cancel or change plans amid the uncertainty caused by the virus.

10:03 a.m. More than 1,250 people have been tested for COVID-19 from Friday to Sunday at two drive-thru sites in Houston, Samantha Ketterer reports. It's unknown how many of the people who were tested received positive results.

Testing will continue from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. this week at United Memorial, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee said.

9:47 a.m. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said at a Monday morning press conference that the county is still assessing whether to issue a shelter-in-place order, reports Jasper Scherer.

"It may be that we issue a stay at home order or something of the sort, but we are doing our due diligence today," she said.

New — @LinaHidalgoTX at a.m. news conference says Harris County is still assessing whether to issue a lockdown/shelter-in-place order: "It may be that we issue a stay at home order or something of the sort, but we are doing our due diligence today..." #coronavirus — Jasper Scherer (@jaspscherer) March 23, 2020

9:40 a.m. Texas was making record gains registering voters. Now the coronavirus threatens to grind that progress to a halt, throwing up major hurdles to Democratic efforts to make the state’s November elections competitive for a change, the Chronicle's Washington correspondent Benjamin Wermund reports.

9:35 a.m. The Texas Association of Realtors has created an addendum to the standard home purchase agreement to handle challenges around buying and selling homes during the coronavirus crisis, in some cases allowing buyers or sellers to walk away from a transaction, reports Nancy Sarnoff.

The COVID-19 Addendum aims to allow flexibility while parties involved in real estate transactions may be quarantined or their businesses shut down temporarily.

9:30 a.m. The Chronicle's Katherine Feser rounded up a list of companies that are hiring more workers to meet heightened consumer demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Click here to see which business are among companies that have ramped up hiring.

9:20 a.m. Activist group Occupy Democrats last week criticized Sen. Ted Cruz for taking “paid sick leave” during his self-imposed quarantine due to exposure to the novel coronavirus. The group said Cruz was a hypocrite because he had voted against paid sick leave in 2015 in the U.S. Senate.

Politifact on Monday ruled the claim half-true. Cruz is not on paid sick leave, according to the fact-checkers, but is working from home, although he can’t vote remotely on matters before Congress.

Cruz did vote against sick leave in 2015, when U.S. senators considered an amendment to provide up to seven days of paid sick leave for American workers.

8:55 a.m. Guadalupe County officials issued an alert Sunday night, advising people who were at the H-E-B Plus in Schertz near the corner of Interstate 35 and FM 3009 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 16, that they may have been exposed to coronavirus.

8:37 a.m. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams urged Americans to stay home ahead of what he predicts will be an especially "bad" week for the spread of COVID-19.

"I want America to understand — this week, it's going to get bad," said in an interview with NBC News Monday morning.

Adams said many people have not been effectively practicing social distancing.

"This is how the spread is occurring," he said. "So we really, really need everyone to stay at home. I think that there are a lot of people who are doing the right things, but I think that unfortunately we're finding out a lot of people think this can't happen to them."

8:30 a.m. Lakewood Church and Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center are hold an emergency blood drive starting Monday. The drive will continue every day through Friday and will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

The drive is being held in response to the U.S. Surgeon General's plea for healthy adults to give blood. The U.S. is facing a severe blood shortage because many blood drives have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lakewood, located at 3700 SW Freeway, will be offering drive-up donation appointments. There will also be mobile donation buses, which will be following heightened CDC sanitation recommendations.

8:15 a.m. Around 70,000 home health aides across Texas are earning $10.50 an hour to care for people who are among the most vulnerable to severe or fatal reactions to the new coronavirus.

The aides, who handle essential tasks for elderly and disabled people, are continuing to work during the pandemic. The Chronicle's Jeremy Blackman reports that they can't stop working because their clients need them and they can't afford to lose their pay.

8:05 a.m. Gun dealers in the Houston area have recently seen a sharp spike in sales, as people worry about the possibility of social unrest caused by the pandemic, the Chronicle's Paul Takahashi reports.

8 a.m. Angela Blanchard, president emerita of Houston’s BakerRipley non-profit , shared her thoughts on how Houston is handling the novel coronavirus pandemic with journalist Lisa Gray.

Blanchard said Houston needs a shelter-in-place order and a virus command team now in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.