As cases of COVID-19 surge across the country, particularly in southern and western states, U.S. military medical personnel are being sent to help, NPR reports. Army officials have announced that around 740 military health professionals are being sent to Texas and California.
The new deployments are the direct result of some states opening up early and their residents not abiding by CDC guidelines, which has caused cases to skyrocket in states such as California, Arizona, Florida and Texas.
The bulk of the new medical personnel — doctors and nurses and support staff — are heading to Texas. The first group is heading to hospitals in San Antonio and Houston, with four other locations in Texas still to be determined. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to put out a statement soon on the new deployments, according to NPR.
Additionally, more than 150 Air Force medical personnel will be dispatched to California. There is currently no word on exactly where those personnel will be sent.
