SAN ANTONIO —
These are the facts:
- There have been at least 75,616 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 1,836 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 7:40 p.m. on June 8, according to Texas HHS. It is estimated that 50,439 Texans have recovered from the virus.
- City and county leaders say there are 3,333 confirmed positive cases in Bexar County as of 7 p.m. on June 8. A total of 78 people have died from the coronavirus in the county.
- Governor Abbott's order for a "phased in" reopening of the Texas economy got underway Friday, May 1, and further phases are expected. You can find more information about that here.
- Per city orders, most San Antonians are being asked to wear a mask or cloth covering in public areas where social distancing is difficult or not possible. Click here for more information.
NEW DAILY CORONAVIRUS CASES IN BEXAR COUNTY:
We're tracking how many coronavirus cases are confirmed in Bexar County each day from the time San Antonio Metro Health began reporting cases more than two months ago. Graphing those daily case numbers along a 14-day moving average provides an accurate picture of the curve in the San Antonio area and the direction we're heading amid the coronavirus.
Monday, June 8
8:40 p.m.
There have been at least 75,616 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 1,836 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 7:40 p.m. on June 8, according to Texas HHS. It is estimated that 50,439 Texans have recovered from the virus.
7:00 p.m.
Metro Health reported that an additional 22 cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Bexar County on Monday, bringing the total to 3,333. Meanwhile, no new deaths from COVID-19 complications were reported; the local death toll remains at 78. In all, 2,077 county residents have recovered from the virus.
4:01 p.m.
IKEA Live Oak has now reopened for in-store shopping after closing more than two months ago. The furniture mega-store closed to in-store shopping back on March 18. The store did offer curbside pickup for some of that time since then. On Monday, IKEA had a post on its website announcing that the store is now open for customers to come inside. The company said it would follow guidance from health officials.
2:58 p.m.
The World Health Organization says it still believes the spread of the coronavirus from people without symptoms is “rare,” despite warnings from numerous experts worldwide that such transmission is more frequent and likely explains why the pandemic has been so hard to contain.
1:20 p.m.
The University of Texas at Austin will require all students, faculty and staff to wear face masks on campus next fall to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Interim Dean Jay Hartzell announced Monday.
12:37 p.m.
Texas hit a record high for people with COVID-19 in hospitals, according to new data from the Texas Department of State Health Services. As of June 8, there are 1,935 patients in Texas hospitals receiving treatment for COVID-19. The previous high was set on June 8.
11:38 a.m.
Comal County has confirmed four new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 121.
The cases include three New Braunfels residents in their 30's, 40's and 50's and a north-side Canyon Lake resident in their 50's. All are home-isolating.
The county also confirmed three recoveries from COVID-19, for a total of 97, and two patients discharged from the hospital. With seven deaths, the county now has 17 active COVID-19 cases, two of them are hospitalized.
As of Monday morning, the Comal County Office of Public Health has received reports of the following test information:
- 3,668 tests conducted
- 121 positive cases
- 3,404 negative tests
- 143 tests still pending
Of the 121 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Comal County, the location breakdown is:
- 62 from New Braunfels or the immediate area
- 16 from north of Canyon Lake
- 13 from the Bulverde area
- 7 from eastern Comal County
- 6 from south of Canyon Lake
- 5 from the Spring Branch area
- 3 from Garden Ridge
- 3 from central Comal County
- 3 from southwest Comal County
- 2 from Fair Oaks Ranch
- 1 from Schertz
Information about COVID-19, as well as a list of county office reopenings and numbers to call for testing, is available at www.comalcountytx.com/covid19.
Residents wishing to be tested for COVID-19 can call the county’s dedicated hotline, 830-221-1120, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
8:00 a.m.
The United States has reported a total of 1,942,363 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, as of Monday morning. There have also been 110,514 deaths in the U.S. related to coronavirus, according to John's Hopkins University.
6:30 a.m.
Travis County has seen a sharp increase in new coronavirus cases ovre the last week. The percentage of new COVID-19 cases in Travis County exceeds the percentage of new tests, indicating positive cases continue to increase.
5:42 a.m.
Thousands of high school and middle school athletes are expected to return to greater San Antonio campuses Monday for the start of voluntary strength and conditioning workouts and sport-specific instruction.
Sunday, June 7
11:00 p.m.
The confirmed global death toll from coronavirus reached at least 400,000 on Sunday, and at least 7 million people have been infected by the virus according to Johns Hopkins University.
7:00 p.m.
The City of San Antonio reported that an additional 21 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Bexar County on Sunday, June 7, bringing the total to 3,311 . Meanwhile, no new deaths from COVID-19 complications were reported, the local death toll remains at 78.
4:15 p.m.
It appears some Americans are using dangerous methods to protect themselves from the coronavirus— including gargling bleach or other cleaning products.
The CDC shared results Friday from an online survey conducted in May that asked 502 adult U.S. residents about their cleaning and disinfecting practices.
4:00 p.m.
There have been at least 74,978 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 1,830 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 4:00 p.m. on June 7, according to Texas HHS. It is estimated that 49,758 Texans have recovered from the virus.
12:00 p.m.
The protests and marches across the country have sparked concerns about possible spikes in coronavirus infections.
8:25 a.m.
The confirmed global death toll from the COVID-19 virus reached at least 400,000 fatalities on Sunday, a day after the government of Brazil broke with standard public health protocols by ceasing to publish updates of the number of deaths and infections in the hard-hit South American country.
7:37 a.m.
The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center is saying thank you to blood donors in a big way; blood donors will receive free coronavirus antibody testing.
5:15 a.m.
One of the most at-risk group for COVID-19 are our elderly loved ones. Here are some tips for keeping engaged with elderly loved ones during this time.
- Making care packages of handwritten notes with words of encouragement, Vitamin-C, paper products, cleaning products, and comfort foods (the more nutritious, the better!)
- Organize window walks with your local community to stop by seniors' homes and wave or hold up signs outside.
- Hold regular video calls on Zoom/FaceTime/Skype, but make sure to send an easy-to-follow instruction guide ahead of the call or talk through how to use the software over the phone
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- The CDC recommends wearing a mask or cloth face covering if you have to be out due to an essential service or essential activity such as going to the grocery store.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.