Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday ordered that inhabitants of counties with much more than 20 coronavirus circumstances have to don masks when they undertaking outdoor as scenarios spike in the Lone Star Condition.

“Gov. Greg Abbott nowadays issued an Executive Buy demanding all Texans to have on a face covering more than the nose and mouth in public spaces in counties with 20 or far more COVID-19 cases, with handful of exceptions,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

“Wearing a encounter covering in public is tested to be a single of the most powerful approaches we have to gradual the spread of COVID-19,” Abbott reported in the assertion, which he recurring on Twitter.

“We have the potential to retain corporations open up and transfer our economic system ahead so that Texans can continue on to generate a paycheck, but it demands each of us to do our component to guard one a different — and that signifies carrying a encounter covering in public spaces.”

The governor also issued a proclamation empowering mayors to restrict gatherings to 10 men and women or much less and force men and women to social distance.

“Likewise, significant gatherings are a clear contributor to COVID-19 circumstances. Restricting the dimensions of teams gatherings will strengthen Texas skill to corral this virus,” the Republican governor ongoing.

“We all have a accountability to sluggish the spread of COVID-19 and maintain our communities protected.”

The shift came the same day that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Conditions, warned of “an even higher outbreak ahead” and once more implored people today to have on masks.

And it came a day after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick claimed Fauci “doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Fox News claimed.

“Fauci reported right now that he’s concerned about states like Texas that skipped over particular factors,” Patrick reported Wednesday on Fox.

“He does not know what he’s conversing about. We haven’t skipped above nearly anything. The only detail I’m skipping over is listening to him.”

The mandate also arrived following Texas reported 8,076 new conditions on Wednesday, generating it the highest a single-day complete in the point out due to the fact the start of the pandemic, KTRK Television documented from Houston.

Through a briefing on Wednesday, the city of Houston reported 832 new situations, bringing the total rely to 21,123. 4 much more COVID-19 deaths ended up also reported.