Health authorities are closely watching an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19. Here are the answers to key questions about the outbreak: What is the virus? Scientists have identified the virus as a novel, or new, coronavirus. The name comes from the Latin word for crowns or halos, which coronaviruses resemble under …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Grocery stores and gas stations are experiencing long lines as people without power or water are trying to get essentials like water and a warm meal to eat. There’s now a push to get more water supply in stores as people could be without for a few more days, or remain under a water boil notice. …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston-area roads have turned hazardous once again due to winter precipitation across the region. While authorities have already advised people to stay off the roads, if you absolutely have to travel, use extreme caution and slow down.     IH-45 GULF Northbound At BELTWAY 8-SOUTH Exit Ramp,Left Interchange Ramp,Right Interchange Ramp Verified at 1:23 AM on …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A boil water advisory can be issued under a number of circumstances from natural disasters, like in the aftermath of hurricanes and winter storms, to sudden emergencies like a water main break. So, what are the health risks associated with not boiling your water? We took this question straight to Houston-area Dr. Christine Le, a family …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — While a lot of Houstonians sought shelter from the snow and freezing temperatures of Monday’s rare snowfall event, a group of guys took advantage of an icy and near-empty Interstate 10 freeway to ski. A video is going viral of Travis McGullam being pulled by a truck while skis were strapped to his feet. McGullam told …

Life is a struggle for millions of Texans right now, but they are managing to keep their faith above all else. “I lost everything. I don’t have anything. What you see to my left that’s it,” said Houstonian Alice Denson. Denson left her house with only a few clothes after her home became unbearably cold. She and four other relatives …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Our latest winter storm is over, but more freezing temperatures on the way that could ice up the roads overnight. Drizzle and mist will continue off and on through the night, and with temperatures dropping below freezing, bridges and overpasses are at risk of freezing up with a glaze of ice. Another disturbance tracking through the …

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — As the fallout from the winter storm drags on, the search for basic supplies becomes more difficult. On Wednesday night, the line at a free water distribution site in Galveston wrapped around city blocks. With much of the island without water or under a boil water advisory due to power issues at city facilities, people are …

UPDATE: 11:07 p.m. Feb. 17 A total of 423,926 customers are without power as of late Wednesday night, according to CenterPoint Energy’s outage tracker. UPDATE: 8:11 p.m. Feb. 17 A total of 1.6 million households had power restored since Wednesday morning, according to ERCOT in a nighttime update. The total power restored is 8,000 megawatts. In a significant update, ERCOT …

Boombox Taco Truck has seen the impact of the winter storm firsthand. The owners have had no power and no business for several days as the area has battled severe weather conditions. But on Wednesday, the truck was open to help families without power or water. The owners cooked more than 2,400 tacos to hand out at eight apartment complexes …