SAN ANTONIO —
These are the facts:
- There have been at least 31,548 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 867 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of noon on May 3, according to Texas HHS.
- City leaders say there are 1,613 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on May 3. A total of 48 people have died related to the coronavirus, and 756 people who had the virus have fully recovered.
- 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 need to wear a mask or cloth covering in public areas where social distancing is difficult or not possible. Click here for more information.
Sunday, May 3
6:15 p.m.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported 28 new coronavirus cases in the metro, for a total of 1,613. The death toll remains at 48.
4 p.m.
Unacast, a New York-based location data company, gave Bexar County's social distancing efforts a D-. It's the same grade as the state at large.
3:30 p.m.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say at least six detainees at a processing center in Pearsall have tested positive for the virus. A total of 101 ICE detainees have been diagnosed in facilities across the state.
The agency has also suspended in-person visitation of detainees amid the pandemic, and is instead encouraging facilities to make use of teleconferencing technology.
2:30 p.m.
Good news! There are more than 15,000 Texans that have recovered from coronavirus. But, there are still more than 14,000 people who are still dealing with the illness, according to Texas HHS.
1:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump will be at the Lincoln Memorial tonight, giving a virtual town hall event for Fox News about the country reopening
11:30 a.m.
Former President George W. Bush released a video this weekend, calling for bipartisan unity during this time of trying to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
7:15 a.m.
The European Union is investigating on a rapid schedule whether the use of the drug remdesivir could be allowed for treating the coronavirus within the 27-nation bloc following a similar decision in the United States.
The Swedish Medical Products Agency's infection department director, Charlotta Bergqvist, told Swedish broadcaster TV4 that the introduction of remdesivir with is now being studied with a high priority within the EU and a decision may be reached “in a few days.”
6:30 a.m.
There were more than 1.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. by Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University. Over 60,000 people in the United States have died. Worldwide, over 3.4 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. More than 244,000 people have died around the globe.
Saturday, May 2
6:15 p.m.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported that an additional 108 cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Bexar County on Saturday, bringing the total to 1,477. Of those 108 positive tests, 65 are from the Bexar County Jail and 43 are community cases. No new deaths were reported, so the local death toll remains at 48. In all, 725 county residents have recovered from the virus.
2:15 p.m.
Now is also a good time to tighten the budget if you haven't already, according to financial experts.
Economists say when business re-opens, people will have missed too many payments with no income coming in. Many will not want to go to bars and be in crowds, and that will further impact the hospitality industry.
"I still don't think we're going into a depression," said Thomas Gilbert, a University of Washington professor of finance and business economics. "But I think the recession will be quite bad. This re-opening will take time."
12 p.m.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that there were 1,293 new coronavirus cases Saturday. The agency also reported 31 additional deaths.
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.
