Cameron County leaders, doctors, and hospital administrators met to discuss COVID-19 and the impact of the latest surge of cases in the county during a press conference in Brownsville on Monday.

Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr and several health officials said they believe the Delta variant may account for 90% of all new cases of COVID-19 in the county.

While Judge Trevino and the commissioner's court work with the county's legal team to develop a plan to decrease positive COVID-19 cases in the area, the push to get people vaccinated and mask up continues.

"Just as we did with regards to the mask mandate loophole, if you will, that's what we're looking at," Trevino said. "I anticipate commissioner's court being able to act on it tomorrow."

During the press conference, the judge said those who refuse to get vaccinated or wear a mask citing personal freedoms as a reason is inexcusable.

"You're putting my life at risk. You're putting my family's life at risk. That's not personal responsibility. That's personal and public destruction," Trevino said. "That's carelessness. That's insensitivity. This is the absolute worst behavior that one can expect from individuals in our community."

Cameron County Health Authority Dr. James Castillo said even though vaccination rates in the county are high, more shots need to go into arms to help fight the evolving Delta variant. 

"We've been hit hard twice before," Castillo said. "Thinking that will give us herd immunity or natural immunity— wrong there too. This virus is proving us wrong— and it just got a lot more contagious."