Vaccine doctor says Texas could soon see ‘apocalyptic’ coronavirus case numbers

WACO, Texas -- A top doctor in Texas is warning that the state’s big cities could see “apocalyptic” coronavirus case numbers.

That warning, based on the current Texas trajectory, comes from Dr. Peter Hotez, a professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology who is also working on a potential Covid-19 vaccine.

In addition, he's the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine.

“I can’t stress enough how concerned I am,” said Hotez, "some of the models are on the verge of being apocalyptic.”

Texas has been setting almost daily records for new cases. Hotez said this is a consequence of the state not having a “sufficient” level of public health infrastructure in place when it reopened.

He said if the situation continues, models show that Houston - for example - could have a four-fold increase in the number of daily cases by July 4.

“That is really worrisome and as those numbers rise, we’re seeing commensurate increases in the number of hospitalizations and ICU admissions,” he said. “You get to the point where you overwhelm ICUs and that’s when the mortality goes up.”

Hotez pointed out that infections are also accelerating in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso.

“We’re not seeing the deaths yet, but that will start,” Hotez predicted. “Those deaths will start to mount up, I would say, in a couple of weeks.”