Texas Gov. Abbott warns COVID spreading at "an unacceptable rate" in sober press conference flanked by scary charts.

He says shutting Texas down is a last resort.

Hopes people & businesses will better comply with state guidelines and wear masks to help "keep Texas open."

Abbott warned if cases double again in the next month he'll have to take more steps.

Abbott said he and other Texas officials were not pushing masks hard a month ago because cases back then were not rising at rates they are now and there is now better research showing masks are effective at slowing COVID spread.

!! NEW: Texas sets *11th straight* daily record for COVID patients in hospitals: 3,711.

That's up ***302*** patients in one day!

A 60% increase in one week.

Up 146% since Memorial Day.