El Paso imposes curfew as virus cases overwhelm hospitals

EL PASO, Texas (AP) – Residents in the Texas border city of El Paso have been urged to stay home for two weeks as a spike in coronavirus cases overwhelms hospitals. El Paso County has issued a daily curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus. The curfew does not apply to people who are going to or from work or out for essential services, including grocery stores and healthcare. Earlier Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that part of the city’s civic center will be used as a temporary hospital to care for the ill. El Paso County health officials reported 772 new coronavirus cases Sunday, which accounted for more than 20% of the state’s new cases.