Bastrop County issues disaster declaration, bans gatherings of 50 or more

Bastrop County and its three cities issued a disaster declaration Monday as concern over the spread of the novel coronavirus escalates.

"We know that there are thousands of out of town visitors stopping in our town every day," said Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape. "We don't know where they came from or where they're going, and we don't know whether they have the virus or not."

The declaration includes a temporary ban on all public and private events or gatherings of 50 people or more. Violators of the ban could face a Class C misdemeanor.

The county's declaration comes hours after all four school districts in the county announced closures through April 5 in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

The Bastrop, Smithville, Elgin and McDade districts said Monday morning that students and staff should not return to campuses until they are notified that the districts have reopened. The districts' facilities will also be closed for all extracurricular functions, including UIL events, competitions, rentals, field trips, child care programs, after school programs and other campus activities.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Austin metropolitan area is up to nine. Austin confirmed its first case on Friday and its sixth case Sunday. Hays County reported its first case Saturday and its second and third cases Monday.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday held a press conference in which he issued a warning to expect the number of COVID-19 cases to rapidly grow over the next few days as testing ramps up.

"People need to be prepared and not shocked," Abbott said.

Ascension Seton also established on Monday a COVID-19 hotline available between 6 a.m. and midnight in which nurses can respond to public questions, conduct screenings and guide patients to appropriate care facilities. The Ascension Texas hotline is 1-833-919-1680.

The hospital chain is also asking patients to consider virtual care, in which patients can access doctors using a laptop, smartphone or tablet. No insurance is required.

Ascension Seton hospitals, including the neighborhood hospitals in Bastrop and Elgin, are implementing visitation restrictions beginning this week. Visitors will be asked screening questions before entry, and no person with flu-like symptoms will be granted entry.

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