Iraan, a small oilfield town of 1,200 people in west Texas, has been struck so hard by the coronavirus pandemic that the entire town has essentially shut down, including the school district and local businesses.

“We had had COVID before, but never to this magnitude,” resident Vicky Zapata told CNN.

According to Iraan General Hospital CEO Jason Rybolt, 119 people were tested for the virus and 50 tested positive during a two week August span – a 42% positivity rate. Iraan Mayor Darren Brown told CNN, “This is very serious.”…

Rybolt added that at least one Iraan resident has been airlifted for out-of-state care because of a lack of available ICU beds in Texas. He said: “It could be 12 hours (for coronavirus-stricken people to receive a bed). It could be 36 hours. You just never know how long it’s going to take.”