El Paso City Council holds special meeting on virus outbreak; city daycare & preschool closing

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso City Council held a special meeting Monday morning to discuss the coronavirus outbreak.

The meeting came one day after city and county officials held a news conference to announce that a second person in El Paso County had tested positive for coronavirus.

Mayor Dee Margo said the El Paso Health Department is now open 7 days a week and can turnaround testing results within four hours. He noted that referrals for individual testing still must come from doctors.

Anyone in need of coronavirus guidance from health authorities can call 211 and select option 6, city officials said.

While the city continued to discourage large public gatherings, it said restaurants and bars would be allowed to remain open.

However, officials announced that "out of concern for the safety of El Paso families, the City will close Daycare and Pre-School programs at the Galatzan and Veterans Recreation Center effective Wednesday, March 18, until further notice."

Officials said the city was partnering with the YWCA Paso del Norte Region "to provide service to affected families who wish to keep their children enrolled in early learning programs."