Texas’ high court halts mask rules as counties defy governor

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court has blocked mask mandates ordered by two of the nation’s largest counties that defied Republican Gov. Greg Abbott as COVID-19 cases surge. The unsigned order by the state’s highest court Sunday halts mask requirements that county leaders in Dallas and San Antonio put in place as the delta variant tears through the nation’s unvaccinated population. The ruling is temporary pending a court hearing, though a final ruling could take weeks. Texas reported more than 11,500 patients hospitalized with the virus Sunday, the most since January.