The rate of cases per 1,000 residents is high in the Panhandle’s Moore County, where early outbreaks were tied to a meatpacking plant, and in counties with state prisons such as Childress, Walker and Jones. South Texas and the Coastal Bend emerged as hot spots in July, and counties with college towns, like Lubbock and Brazos, saw cases surge as students returned to campus in late August. The latest surge in October has been felt acutely in El Paso, Lubbock and Amarillo, with experts saying widespread fatigue has hastened viral transmission statewide. —Texas Tribune
