The 81st Annual Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes is continuing as planned, with the gates opening midweek for the first arrivals of students and their show animals.
But thus far no cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Rio Grande Valley, and Hidalgo County leaders are urging calm. Stock show officials have been in constant contact with county health officials, and currently have no plans to close the stock show, Risica said. “At this point, we have no intention of shutting down unless something major drastic would happen,” Risica said.
The city of South Padre Island has decided that Spring Break should go on, even amid a wave of cancellations of major events elsewhere around Texas and the nation due to fears about the spread of the new coronavirus.
The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in Mercedes was still on as of press time Thursday, though Hidalgo County Public Affairs Director Carlos Sanchez released a statement saying that county and livestock show officials “will work together to continue to monitor the situation.”