Coronavirus cases have dropped to a record low in Texas roughly three weeks after the state lifted its mask mandate and reopened businesses.
"Today the 7-day Covid positivity rate dropped to a new recorded low: 4.95%. Hospitalizations dropped to a 6 month low. This week we have 1 million 1st vaccines available," Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote in a tweet on Sunday. "Everyone now qualifies for a shot. They are highly recommended to prevent getting Covid but always voluntary."
Today the 7-day Covid positivity rate dropped to a new recorded low: 4.95%
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 28, 2021
Hospitalizations dropped to a 6 month low
This week we have 1 million 1st vaccines available
Everyone now qualifies for a shot. They are highly recommended to prevent getting Covid but always voluntary
The 4.95 percent test positivity rate is the lowest the state has seen since the start of the pandemic.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, at least 1,900 new virus cases were reported on Sunday, which is the lowest daily number the state has seen since early June.
Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the seven-day moving average number of cases in Texas dropped to the lowest level since mid-June. According to the CDC, Texas was averaging 3,783 daily cases as of March 27.
Abbott's tweet also notes that hospitalizations dropped to their lowest number in the past six months. According to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), 3,104 COVID-19 patients were in hospitals across the state as of Saturday. Data shows that the state has not recorded a number this low since September 19, when there were 3,081 hospitalizations.
As of Monday, Texas has reported more than 2.3 million confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 47,156 deaths.
Newsweek reached out to the Texas DSHS for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
The drop in virus cases, hospitalizations and the testing positivity rate comes three weeks after the state officially lifted its pandemic restrictions, including a statewide mask mandate.
Abbott first announced the removal of most COVID-19 restrictions on March 2, when he tweeted that "Texas is OPEN 100%."
"I also ended the statewide mask mandate," Abbott wrote in the tweet. His executive order reopening the state went into effect March 10.
Mississippi also removed its COVID-19 restrictions around the same time. Like Texas, Mississippi has seen a drop in virus cases and hospitalizations. According to CDC data, as of Saturday Mississippi was seeing an average of 254 daily cases, which is a decrease from the previous month, where the state was averaging around 520.
According to the state's health department, Mississippi also saw a drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations, reporting 238 hospitalized patients with confirmed infections this past Friday, which is the lowest the state has seen since May.
Before the decreases in cases and hospitalizations in Texas and Mississippi, they received criticism for their coronavirus policies, including from President Joe Biden. Shortly after both states said they were lifting their COVID-19 restrictions, Biden said, "The last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking, that, in the meantime, everything's fine, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters."
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