>>>
>>> TONIGHT, THE SEARCH AND CORONAVIRUS CASES FORCES HARRIS
COUNTY TO EXTEND A STAY-AT-HOME
ORDER UNTIL THE END OF APRIL.
GOOD EVENING, I'M LYNN CANNON
KEEPING YOU INFORMED WHILE
WORKING FROM HOME.
>> LEADERS BELIEVE THESE NEXT
30 DAYS ARE CRUCIAL TO SLOW THE
SPREAD AND SAVE LIVES FROM THE
CORONAVIRUS.
CORONAVIRUS. HERE NOW ARE THE BIG
DEVELOPMENTS WE'RE TRACKING
TONIGHT, THESE STAY-AT-HOME
ORDERS ARE EXTENDED IN BRAZORIA
GO, HARRIS AND MONTGOMERY
COUNTIES THROUGH APRIL 30th.
PLUS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT
ORDERED ALL TEXAS SCHOOLS TO
STAY CLOSED UNTIL MAY FOURTH.
AND THAT HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE
CAUSED THE JAIL A TICKING TIME
BOMB AFTER AN INMATE TESTED
POSITIVE.
POSITIVE.
POSITIVE. NOW SHE IS CALLING FOR THE
RELEASE OF NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS.
AND NOW FOR THE NUMBERS.
AS MORE PEOPLE GET TESTED, THE
NUMBERS OF CASES CONTINUED TO
SPIKE.
SPIKE.
SPIKE. RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MORE THAN
1200 IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
SADLY, 56 TEXANS HAVE DIED IN
THE WHITE HOUSE PROTECTS MORE
THAN 100,000 AMERICANS COULD
DIE FROM THE VIRUS.
>> THAT'S WHY THE ADMINISTRATION
IS ALSO EXTENDING SOCIAL
DISTANCING GUIDELINES THROUGH
THE END OF THE MONTH.
THAT MEANS, SADLY, MORE SCHOOLS
AND BUSINESSES CLOSING AND
UNFORTUNATELY LAYOFFS.
UNFORTUNATELY LAYOFFS. TONIGHT, LAUREN BREAKS DOWN
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
>> Reporter: TODAY HARRIS
COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS TOLD US
THEY DON'T EXPECT THE PANDEMIC
TO BE HERE, FOR ANOTHER FOUR
WEEKS.
WEEKS.
WEEKS. WHICH MEANS ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS
OF THIS NEW WAY OF LIFE.
>> AS OF TODAY, 68 MORE PEOPLE
WERE TESTED POSITIVELY.
>> Reporter: AS THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC CONTINUES , SO DO THE
MEASURES TO FIGHT IT.
>> IT IS NOT THE TIME RIGHT NOW
TO SCALE BACK ON OUR
CONTAINMENT MEASURES.
CONTAINMENT MEASURES. IF ANYTHING, IT'S THE TIME TO
DOUBLE DOWN.
DOUBLE DOWN. >> Reporter: TODAY HARRIS
COUNTY JUDGE LINA HILDALGO
EXTENDED THE STATE HOMEWORK
SAFE ORDER THROUGH AT LEAST
APRIL 30th AS MAYOR TURNER
DETAILED WITH HEALTH OFFICIALS
THINK THIS PANDEMIC COULD PEAK
IN GREATER HOUSTON.
>> WENT DISSIPATED THE PEAK TO
OCCUR RIGHT AROUND SOMETIME MAY
SECOND.
SECOND.
SECOND. BUT THAT'S ASSUMING, THAT'S
ASSUMING THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE
AGGRESSIVE.
AGGRESSIVE. >> Reporter: TODAY GOVERNOR
GREG ABBOTT ANNOUNCED THE
LATEST NUMBERS STATEWIDE.
>> 42,922 TEXANS HAVE BEEN
TESTED FOR COVID-19.
OF THOSE TESTED, 3266 HAVE
CONFIRMED POSITIVE.
CONFIRMED POSITIVE. RAY MACKEY ALSO UPDATED HIS
EXECUTIVE ORDER, CLOSING
SCHOOLS UNTIL AT LEAST MAY
FOURTH ASKING STATE RESIDENTS
TO STAY HOME UNTIL APRIL 30th,
UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY
PAINFUL, VERY, VERY PAINFUL TWO
WEEKS.
WEEKS.
WEEKS. THERE IS THE SAME MESSAGE ON
THE NATIONAL LEVEL AS PRESIDENT
TRUMP AND HIS COVID-19 TASK
FORCE EXPLAIN THE GRIM DATA
THAT LED TO THEIR APRIL 30th
DECISION.
DECISION.
DECISION. >> IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE AND
DEATH, FRANKLY.
DEATH, FRANKLY. >> Reporter: THEIR DATA SHOWS,
WITH MEDICATION, 100 TO 240,000
AMERICANS COULD DIE OVER THE
NEXT FEW MONTHS.
IN TEXAS GOVERNOR ABBOTT SAYS
OUT OF THE PEOPLE BEING TESTED
FOR COVID-19 FROM ABOUT 10%
ARE COMING BACK POSITIVE WITH
THE VIRUS.
THE VIRUS. OUT OF THOSE WHO HAVE IT COME
ABOUT 11% NEEDS TO BE
HOSPITALIZED.
HOSPITALIZED. >>> ROUGHLY 1000 INMATES COULD
SOON WALK OUT OF THE HARRIS
COUNTY JAIL.
COUNTY JAIL. TONIGHT THE COUNTY JUDGE SAYS
IT'S TO PREVENT AN OUTBREAK
AMONG INMATES THAT COULD CLOG
OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM.
GRACE WHITE EXPLAINS HOW THEY
ARE PICKING AND CHOOSING WHICH
INMATES TO RELEASE.
>> Reporter: IT COULD BE THREE
OR FOUR DAYS AT LEAST BEFORE WE
START TO SEE PEOPLE WALKING OUT
OF THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL.
THE JUDGE SAYS THERE WILL BE A
SCREENING PROCESS IN PLACE
INCLUDING THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
AND PRETRIAL SERVICES, BUT THE
PROCESS THAT COMES WITH PLENTY
OF CONTROVERSY.
OF CONTROVERSY. >> WE KNOW THAT THE HARRIS
COUNTY JAIL IS A TICKING TIME
BOMB.
BOMB.
BOMB. >>
BOMB. >> Reporter: HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE
[ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] LINA
HILDALGO SAYS SHE'S TRYING TO
PREVENT AN OUTBREAK WHERE THERE
ARE STAFF AND CONTRACTORS
HEADING OUT EVERY DAY.
>> ALL OF THIS IS AN
UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION.
UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION. >> Reporter: THERE IS ONE
CONFIRMED CASE OF THE JAIL, TWO
DOZEN OR SO INMATES QUARANTINED
AWAITING TEST RESULTS AND
ANOTHER 1100 QUARANTINE WITHOUT
SYMPTOMS.
SYMPTOMS.
SYMPTOMS. BECAUSE THEY MIGHT'VE BEEN
EXPOSED.
EXPOSED.
EXPOSED. >> THE POPULATION IS AT RISK OF
BEING THE EPICENTER OF A
CATASTROPHE.
CATASTROPHE. >> Reporter: GOVERNOR GREG
ABBOTT ALREADY ISSUED AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER, STOPPING THE
RELEASE OF VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
JUDGE HIDALGO SENSOR ORDER IS
IN COMPLIANCE BUT IS GETTING
PUSHBACK FROM HOUSTON'S POLICE
CHIEF WHO SAYS HE WASN'T
CONSULTED.
CONSULTED. >> I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THERE
IS GOING TO BE BURGLARS,
THERE'S GOING TO BE THIEVES.
THERE PEOPLE CHARGED WITH THEFT
AND BURGLARY WOULD BE RELEASED
COUNTY HEALTH SAY WILL BE
REVIEWED DWI OFFENDERS AND
ANYONE WITH A MILD CRIMINAL
PAST WOULD NOT.
THERE IS CONCERN INMATES WON'T
GET TESED FOR CORONAVIRUS ON
THE WAY OUT.
GET TESED FOR CORONAVIRUS ON >> WAY OUT.
GET TESED FOR CORONAVIRUS ON >> WHAT OUT.
GET TESED FOR CORONAVIRUS ON >> WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE
WE ARE NOT RELEASING 500 PEOPLE
WHO MAY HAVE THE VIRUS INTO THE
COMMUNITY TO SPREAD IT EVEN
FURTHER?
FURTHER?
FURTHER? THERE COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY EACH
INMATE RELEASED WILL GO THROUGH
A HEALTH SCREENING INCLUDING
TAKING THEIR TEMPERATURE AND
CHECKING FOR SYMPTOMS.
BUT RIGHT NOW THEY SIMPLY DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES TO TEST
EVERY INMATE RELEASED.
THEY DO HAVE A REQUEST OUT FOR
MORE SUPPLIES, BUT NO WORD ON
WHEN THEY WILL COME IN.
>>> THE TOMORROW THE CITY OF
HOUSTON WILL OPEN A SECOND
DRIVE-THRU TESTING SITES AND A
NEW ARRIVAL OF SUPPLIES FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
MAKING THIS POSSIBLE. MAYOR
TURNER SAYS IT WILL DOUBLE THE
CITY'S CAPACITY TO ABOUT 500
TODAY. WE ARE NOT GIVING YOU
THE LOCATION, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY
OPEN TO PEOPLE WHOSE SYMPTOMS
HAVE BEEN SCREENED THROUGH THE
CITY'S CALL CENTER.
>>> THERE WERE LONG LINES AT A
NEW, FREE TESTING SITE IN FORT
BEND COUNTY TODAY.
IT'S OPERATED BY UNITED
MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER IN THE
PARKING LOT OF SMART FINANCIAL
CENTER IN SUGAR LAND.
TESTING IS BEING LIMITED TO
ABOUT 250 PER DAY AT THE SITE.
THE SITE REOPENS AT NINE IN THE
MORNING.
MORNING.
MORNING. >>> STARTING TOMORROW YOU CAN
DROP OFF PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS AT
CONSTELLATION FIELD IN SUGAR
LAND.
LAND.
LAND. THAT'S WHERE THE SKEETERS
PLAYED.
PLAYED.
PLAYED. IT WILL NOW SERVE AS A DONATION
DROP-OFF SITE WEEKDAYS FROM 10
TO 4. YOU CAN DELIVER AND
DONATE UNUSED AND UNOPENED
MASKS, GOWNS, ALCOHOL WIPES AND
MORE.
MORE.
MORE. >>>
MORE. >>> TONIGHT WE ARE TAKING A
LOOK AT THE USE OF MASKS TO
POSSIBLY CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF
THE VIRUS
THE VIRUS
THE VIRUS THERE HAS BEEN SOME MIXED
MESSAGING ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE
WEARING THEM AND IF THEY ARE
EFFECTIVE AT ALL.
>>> AT THIS VALERO GAS STATION
IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON, THE CLERK
CAN'T KEEP THESE MEDICAL GAS
MASKS AND STOP.
>> I HAD A BOX OF THESE TWO
DAYS AGO.
DAYS AGO.
DAYS AGO. I GOT THE MYSELF AND NOW I HAVE
A FEW LEFT.
IT'S HARD FOR US TO COME ACROSS
AND FOR OTHER PEOPLE I GUESS
IT'S HARDER.
IT'S HARDER. >> THE GAS STATION SELLS THEM
FOR THE STICKER PRICE OF 8.99
FOR A SINGLE N95 MASK, THE
THREE PLY MASKS ARE 3.99.
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
SAYS THE WIDESPREAD USE OF MASKS
COULD LEASE TO A FALSE SENSE OF
PROTECTION AMONG THE PUBLIC,
POSSIBLY LEADING TO RISKIER
BEHAVIOR DURING SOCIAL
DISTANCING.
DISTANCING. IN THE MIDST OF THE PPE SHORTAGE
FOR U.S. MEDICAL WORKERS AND
FIRST RESPONDERS, THE CDC HAS
DISCOURAGE THE USE OF FACEMASKS
BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR
PROTECTION AGAINST THE VIRUS.
>> WE WANT THEM TO GO TO THE
HOSPITALS.
HOSPITALS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DOCTOR
FAUCI TOLD ME TODAY AS WE DON'T
WANT EVERYBODY COMPETING WITH
THE HOSPITALS.
THE HOSPITALS. WHERE WE REALLY NEED THEM.
>> Reporter: THE CDC RECOMMENDS
THE USE OF N95 MASKS FOR
WORKERS AS PART OF THEIR PROPER
PPE.
PPE.
PPE. THE
PPE. THE LACK OF AVAILABLE
MANUFACTURED MASKS HAS LED
SOME TO MAKING THEIR OWN HOME.
THE CDC DOES NOT RECOMMEND
USING HOMEMADE MASKS SIMPLY
BECAUSE THERE IS NO RESEARCH TO
SUPPORT THE EFFECTIVENESS.
TODAY PRESIDENT TRUMP ADVISED
THAT WEARING A SCARF MAY BE
HELPFUL.
HELPFUL.
HELPFUL. >> USE A SCARF, IF YOU WANT,
RATHER THAN GOING OUT AND
GETTING A MASK.
>> Reporter: WE HAVE NOT FOUND
ANY STUDIES REGARDING THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF SCARVES,
SPECIFICALLY HOWEVER THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS IT IS
NOT RECOMMEND THE USE OF
FACEMASKS FROM CLOTH OR GAUZE
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
>>> TONIGHT WE HAVE OUR
BREAKING STORY OF A MAN'S FINAL
WORDS TO HIS WIFE EMMA WHO DIED
FROM COMPLICATIONS FROM THE
CORONAVIRUS. WHILE HE GRIEVES,
HE LEARNED HE ALSO TESTED
POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.
THIS IS A MAN I HAPPEN TO KNOW
BECAUSE HE USED TO BE A PART OF
THE KHOU FAMILY . JOHN SCHALL
WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO TOLD
STORIES FOR MANY YEARS.
TONIGHT HE IS SHARING HIS OWN
STORY, A STORY ABOUT LOVE AND
LOSS.
LOSS.
LOSS. THERE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS
FORMER KHOU 11 PHOTOGRAPHER
JOHN SCHALL WAS THE MAN BEHIND
THE CAMERA.
THE CAMERA. BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN IS A
GREAT WOMAN.
GREAT WOMAN. >> SHE MADE ME A BETTER MAN.
>> Reporter: ELLEN AND JOHN
WERE TOGETHER FOR MORE THAN 50
YEARS, LOVE STORY THAT COVID-19
INTERRUPTED TOO SOON.
>> THIS VIRUS CAN CHANGE YOUR
WHOLE LIFE, LIKE IT DID MINE.
THERE TWO WEEKS AGO ELLEN CAME
DOWN WITH A FEVER AND A COUGH.
DOCTORS AT MEMORIAL HERMANN
SUSPECTED COVID-19 AND TESTED
HER FOR THE VIRUS.
SHE STAYED OVERNIGHT, JOHN BY
HER SIDE. THE NEXT MORNING,
ALLOWED TO GO HOME TO
QUARANTINE WHILE THEY WAITED
FOR RESULTS.
FOR RESULTS. >> IS THE WEEKEND PROGRESSED,
THINGS GOT WORSE.
>> Reporter: THIS TIME JOHN
DROVE HER TO METHODIST HOSPITAL
IN THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER.
>> WE LITERALLY TOOK MY WIFE
RUN ME AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO
KISS HER GOODBYE.
TWO HOURS LATER ELLEN WAS ON A
VENTILATOR IN THE ICU.
>> THE VIRUS JUST GRABBED A
HOLD OF HER LUNGS.
>> Reporter: WITHIN DAYS SHE
WAS IN HOSPICE, ALONE, FAMILY
UNABLE TO BE BY HER SIDE, OUT
OF CONCERN OF SPREADING THE
VIRUS.
VIRUS.
VIRUS. JOHN FORCED TO SAY GOODBYE TO
HIS GREAT LOVE BY WHISPERING
INTO A PHONE A NURSE PUT TO HER
EAR.
EAR.
EAR. >>
EAR. >> LITERALLY 14 DAYS AGO SHE
HAD EXCELLENT HEALTH AND NOW
SHE'S GONE. I MISS HER SO MUCH.
>> Reporter: JUST ONE DAY AFTER
ELLEN'S DEATH, JOHN LEARNED HE
HAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE
VIRUS.
VIRUS.
VIRUS. HE
VIRUS. HE IS QUARANTINED AT HOME WITH
A FEVER AND ALSO LOST HIS SENSE
OF SMELL.
OF SMELL.
OF SMELL. >> I BOUGHT HER A REALLY
EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF PERFUME
WHICH SHE JUST LOVED AND I
LOVED AND I WAS HOPING TO GET A
SMELL OF IT BECAUSE IT REMINDED
ME OF HER AND I WENT TO OPEN IT
UP AND SPRAY IT AND PUT MY NOSE
TO IT AND I COULDN'T SMELL
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. THERE THE VIRUS THAT TOOK HIS
WIFE NOW FORCING HIM TO GRIEF
IN ISOLATION, IN A HOUSE THAT
THE LIVING REMINDER OF HER.
THAT'S THE PART NO ONE REALLY
KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE.
>> THAT'S THE HARDEST THING NOT
TO HAVE SOMEBODY HUG YOU, NOT
TO HAVE SOMEBODY TOUCH YOU.
BUT SOMETHING MY WIFE AND I DID
ALL THE TIME.
ALWAYS HOLDING HANDS, ALWAYS
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. THERE FOR NOW HE WILL TAKE
EVERY AIR HUG YOU CAN GET.
HIS SON STOPPED BY TO MAKE SURE
HE KNEW HE WASN'T ALONE.
>> THE WHOLE FAMILY GAVE ME AN
AIR HUG, BUT THEY HAD TO STAY
AWAY.
AWAY.
AWAY. I
AWAY. I BROKE DOWN IN TEARS.
>> Reporter: FAMILY AND FAITH
IN GOD KEEP HIM GOING THROUGH
THIS TOUGH TIME.
AN INFALLIBLE TRUST THAT ONE
DAY --
DAY --
DAY -- >>
DAY -- >> I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DAY TO
SEE HER.
SEE HER.
SEE HER. >> Reporter: THAT LOVE STORY
WILL CONTINUE AND HE WILL BE BY
AT ONE SIDE AGAIN.
>> OUR HEARTS POOR FOR JOHN.
I WORKED WITH HIM FROM AFAR FOR
SEVERAL YEARS.
SEVERAL YEARS. A FAMILY MAN WHO ADORED HIS
WIFE, GOD REST HER SOUL.
LYNN, YOU WORKED WITH JOHN MORE
CLOSELY.
CLOSELY.
CLOSELY. >> YEAH, I DID.
I GOT TO WORK WITH HIM FOR A
FEW YEARS OUT IN THE FIELD
BEFORE HE RETIRED FROM KHOU 11.
YOU KNOW, YOU WORK WITH
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND GET TO KNOW
THE BACK STORY.
JOHN WAS A NEW JERSEY GUY WHO
CAME THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
ON A TRACK AND FIELD
SCHOLARSHIP AND I WAS LIKE OH
THAT IS SO COOL.
AND OF COURSE SYRIA'S DECADES
LATER.
LATER.
LATER. OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO JOHN FOR
HIS LOSS AND OF COURSE WE ARE
PRAYING AND HOPING FOR HIS
SPEEDY RECOVERY.
SPEEDY RECOVERY. FROM ALL OF US HERE AT KHOU