Rep. Dan Crenshaw says Houston businesses 'should not comply' with coronavirus restrictions

As COVID-19 hospitalizations in the region surrounding Houston continue to rise, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, is arguing that businesses in the area "should not comply" with any new restrictions, claiming lockdowns are "unconstitutional edicts" that are not supported by law.

"Law enforcement should not enforce this." Crenshaw wrote in a tweet Tuesday. "Stop stealing people’s right to make a living."

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Hospital capacity in Trauma Service Area Q, which is made up of Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Austin, Colorado, Matagorda, Walker, Waller and Wharton counties, has been above 15% from Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 due to COVID-19, according to data from the Texas Department of Health,

A recent executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott states that bars must close, hospitals must postpone elective surgeries and restaurants and other business establishments must reduce operating capacity from 75% to 50% in any area where a trauma service center has seven consecutive days in which hospital capacity exceeds 15%.

A spokesperson for Abbott did not immediately return FOX Business' request for comment.

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KHOU-TV reported that doctors at Houston Methodist Hospital are expecting that the latest surge in coronavirus hospitalizations won't crest and decrease for several weeks.

"Honestly, this is just another milestone on the road to a catastrophe unless each of us acts, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.

Texas "can't rely on a small occupancy rollback" and urged county residents to do their part to limit the virus's spread, she added that.

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There are 13,308 COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the state of Texas, and there are 10,981 available hospital beds and 626 available intensive care unit beds left.

In Trauma Service Area Q, there are 2,615 COVID-19 hospitalizations, and there are 1,944 available hospital beds and 94 available ICU beds.