Texas is moving to Phase 2 of its reopening, paving the way for bars to reopen, restaurant service to expand and professional sports to return, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news conference Monday, with the governor crediting the large spike in new cases seen over the past few days to an increase in testing.
AUSTIN, TX - MAY 18: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Texas Governor Greg Abbott announces the reopening of more ... [+] 
Abbott said bars, wine tasting rooms and craft beer facilities can reopen at 25% capacity starting Friday, while restaurants can expand indoor dining service from the current level of 25% capacity to 50%.
Professional sports - including baseball, basketball and golf - can resume May 31, as well as youth sports camps.
The announcement comes as Texas has recently seen days with some of the highest numbers of new cases reported since the outbreak started, a number Abbott says is the result of increased testing.
But the percentage of tests coming back positive has decreased over the past 14 days, Abbott said, meeting a White House recommendation to move into Phase 2.
While most of the state seems to be controlling the spread, the Amarillo area has seen a sharp rise recently, which Abbott attributes to meatpacking plants in the area, while adding that hospital capacity in El Paso is "too close for comfort."
For that reason, entering Phase 2 has been delayed until May 29 for El Paso County, as well as Randall, Potter, Moore and Deaf Smith counties - all of which are located in the Amarillo area.
Texas officially entered Phase 1 at the beginning of May, allowing for restaurants, movie theaters and retail stores to reopen at 25% of their normal capacity. Salons, manufacturers and gyms were later cleared to reopen on May 8.
The case count has risen quickly over recent days in Texas, with 1,801 cases reported Saturday, setting a new daily record since the pandemic began.
Over 700 of the cases reported Saturday came from the Amarillo area, home to several meatpacking plants, as meatpacking facilities nationwide are becoming hotspots for coronavirus transmission.
Hospitalizations are down in the state, though, with the number reported Sunday the lowest seen since April 21, Abbott said. The percentage of tests coming back positive was also below 5% on Sunday, down from a high of around 13.9% on April 13.
The state is now testing over 25,000 residents a day on average, according to Abbott, with the number of tests performed in the first half of May more than doubling the state's total for March and April combined.
"Our focus is to keep you safe while also restoring your ability to get back to work," Abbott said.
Abbott said the state plans for every resident and staff member at every nursing home in Texas to get tested for coronavirus, with the state also planning for thousands of workers at meatpacking plants in the Amarillo area to get tested.
48,953 - That's the current coronavirus case total in Texas, with 1,356 reported deaths.
Last week, the Supreme Court of Texas announced that evictions can resume, as well as paycheck garnishment.
More than 700 new cases of coronavirus reported after testing at meatpacking plants in Amarillo region (Texas Tribune)
Coronavirus in Texas: Gov. Greg Abbott says cities and counties shouldn't raise property taxes (Texas Tribune)
I'm a New Orleans-based news reporter for Forbes covering the U.S. South and breaking news. Previously, I wrote for The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate covering
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