Texas becomes 1st state to surpass 1 million COVID-19 cases

Texas has become first U.S. state with more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases as nation continues to face a surge of infections, according to data from Johns Hopkins University early Wednesday.

nation’s second-most populous state has recorded 1,010,364 coronavirus cases with 19,337 deaths since pandemic began in early March, according to count on Johns Hopkins website.

Texas had recently surpassed California , most populous state, in recording highest number of positive coronavirus tests. true number of infections is likely higher because many people haven’t been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and t feel sick.

Texas recorded 10,865 cases on Tuesday, setting a new daily record that surpassed by 74 cases an old mark set July 15, state officials said. According to state figures on Tuesday, an estimated 132,146 cases are active, most since Aug. 17, and 6,170 COVID-19 cases are hospitalized, most since Aug. 18.

re were 94 new deaths Tuesday, according to Texas Department of State Health Services.

Meanwhile, cases of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 are surging in Laredo area as borderlands remained a COVID-19 hotbed Tuesday, health officials said.

Laredo health officials reported 331 new cases Tuesday of coronavirus, most since Aug. 10 peak of 374 cases. That brought area’s case count for pandemic since beginning of March to 16,558. Of those, 934 cases are active, most in two months, and 73 require hospitalization. One new death was reported Tuesday, bringing city's COVID-19 death toll to 367.

surge comes as El Paso, ar border city, grapples with a recent tsunami of cases. Ar 1,292 cases were reported in El Paso County on Tuesday, bringing its pandemic count to 65,651 with 27,895 cases w active and 1,076 requiring hospitalization. Nine new deaths brought county's COVID-19 death toll to 682.

higher counts come amid intensive testing in both places and statewide.