Coronavirus in Texas: Poison center network reports dramatic uptick in calls about household cleaners, bleach

Monday’s biggest developments:

• Texas voters support business closures, stay-at-home orders
• State poison center network reports increase in calls about household cleaners, bleach
• Texas reports 24,631 cases and 648 deaths

Texas Poison Center Network reports dramatic uptick in calls about household cleaners, bleach

[5 a.m.] The Texas Poison Center Network received about 1,900 calls related to cleaning products or disinfectants from March 1 through Friday, the Dallas Morning News reported. That includes a 68% increase in calls about bleach products and a 69% increase in calls about hand sanitizers.

Poison control centers nationally received over 45,500 calls in the first three months of this year, a 20% increase in calls as compared to 2019, according to a report released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The uptick comes as public health officials and CDC guidelines advise people to clean frequently touched surfaces often to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, which can live up to five days on metal.

Ingestion and inhalation were the exposures Texans most frequently reported.

“Disinfectants and other cleaning products should NOT be inhaled, ingested, injected or used in any manner outside its labeled instructions,” Cristina Holloway, public health education manager for the North Texas Poison Center, said in an email to the Dallas Morning News. “There are currently no vaccines, drugs or products approved to treat or prevent COVID-19.”

About 70% of calls about hand sanitizers involved children age 5 or younger. The Texas Poison Center Network recommends keeping household products locked away and using child-resistant locks on cabinets. They also recommend not mixing products, which can cause deadly gases or fires. — Clare Proctor

Texas voters overwhelmingly back business closures and stay-at-home orders, says UT/TT poll

[5 a.m.] By a wide margin, Texas voters approve of the widespread business closures and statewide stay-at-home order even though the economy is taking a catastrophic hit, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Those findings come as Gov. Greg Abbott says he will soon announce plans to reopen a wide range of Texas businesses.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has suggested that saving the economy is more important than responding to the coronavirus. But after first making that suggestion last month, Patrick has experienced an uptick of disapproval among two groups: registered voters over 65 and independents.

orders that Texans stay home except for essential activities. The poll’s findings come as Abbott says he will soon announce plans to reopen a wide range of Texas businesses. — Ross Ramsey

Texas reports 24,631 cases and 648 deaths

[5 a.m.] Texas is expected to release updated numbers Monday on coronavirus cases. On Sunday, the state reported 858 more cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of about 4% over the previous day, bringing the total number of known cases to 24,631. No new counties reported their first cases Sunday; over three quarters of the state’s 254 counties have reported at least one case.

Harris County has reported the most cases, 5,628, followed by Dallas County, which has reported 2,909 cases. See maps of the latest case numbers for each county and case rates per 1,000 residents. — Carla Astudillo