Houston’s KPRC is out with an exposé on COVID-19 reality there. They report that in Houston metro area, which is home to 7.7 million people, there are only 626 hospitalizations due to coronavirus. They also report 1,300 ventilators are available, and 5000 hospital beds are open.

Why is this significant?

Governor Abbott (R) has assured Texans they have plenty of health care capacity in the state.

The activist judge for Harris County, Democrat Lina Hidalgo, keeps telling the public in pressers that they’re nearing capacity. This just isn’t true.

She ordered the creation of a makeshift hospital at NRG that cost $60 million, but the demand just isn’t there. It’s not even close, even as IMHE and others are saying Texas is at its hospitalization peak.

So, why is she continuing to do pressers stoking public health panic?

Important to note that Houston is sort of the medical heartbeat of America. There seems to be a hospital every where you turn, and some of the country’s best — MD Anderson, Methodist, Memorial... just amazing institutions. And lots and lots of beds.

I should emphasize that God-willing, things will continue this way. If the state is at its hospitalization peak and Houston is doing so well, that gives cause for optimism. Obviously, this can all change. But for now, looks like Houston isn’t “nearing capacity” at all.

Absolutely awesome shoe-leather reporting from @KPRC2's investigative team and @kprc2mario showing what's really going on with the NRG Center's makeshift hospital. Local reporting really matters. https://www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/2020/04/22/commissioners-may-soon-pull-the-plug-on-harris-countys-pop-up-hospital-at-nrg-park/