SAN ANTONIO — Click here to access coronavirus updates from April 15.
These are the facts:
- There have been at least 14,624 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 318 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, according to Texas HHS.
- City leaders say there are 815 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on April 14. No new deaths have been reported, so the total remains at 33. 141 have recovered.
- Governor Abbott issued an executive order telling people to stay home unless working in an "essential service" or doing an activity deemed essential. Here is what that means.
- Coronavirus Q&A | SA's "Stay Home, Work Safe" order | List of companies still hiring |Shopping times for seniors | School districts offering free meals
Tuesday, April 14
10:50 p.m.
The San Antonio Fire Department has confirmed a second positive coronavirus test among its ranks in as many days. According to officials, both affected firefighters worked out of the same station, but on different schedules.
The new patient initially felt ill over the weekend, according to SAFD, and was sent home to self-isolate before their diagnosis came through. Officials have begun to trace who they may have been in contact with recently, and to communicate with them.
8:30 p.m.
A resident at the Frank M. Tejada Texas State Veterans Home died while being treated for coronavirus at a San Antonio hospital, and another resident at the home has tested positive.
This is the first reported death of a Wilson County resident, and the total number of cases stands at 11.
7:00 p.m.
The City of Kerrville is projecting a budget shortfall of almost $3 million over the next six months due to the economic slowdown caused by coronavirus. Officials say it is driven primarily by a loss in sales tax revenue and hotel occupancy tax revenue.
As a result, the city is announcing a hiring freeze, delays and reductions to the city's street paving schedule, and budget cuts in all departments.
6:30 p.m.
A total of $61,753,516 in federal grants will be distributed between ten San Antonio colleges and universities to respond to the impacts of coronavirus on institutions, students and faculty.
Senator John Cornyn said in a release that the CARES Act authorized the grants, at least 50% of which must be used to provide emergency financial aid for students to help cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations.
6:15 p.m.
City leaders say no new coronavirus deaths were reported. The amount of cases, however, grew from 794 to 815. Another inmate was also diagnosed, bringing that total to eight. There are also 141 fully recovered patients in Bexar County.
5:45 p.m.
An already controversial decision to designate an East Side nursing facility as one of two places to cohort nursing home residents who contract the novel coronavirus grew even more contentious Tuesday, after the second facility pulled out of the agreement.
Initially, the River City Care Center on the city's east side and Westover Hills Rehabilitation and Healthcare on the west side were designated by the management companies of both facilities as locations where nursing home residents would be moved should they contract COVID-19.
Westover backed out of the agreement, leading local officials to say the city's east side and communities of color are shouldering a disproportionate burden.
4:00 p.m.
The City of Converse will be distributing free masks to residents tomorrow, one per adult as long as supplies last. Any resident who needs one can pick one up by driving through the old city hall parking lot at 403 S. Seguin on Wednesday between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
1:53 p.m.
Kendall County and the City of Boerne have reported two new cases of coronavirus. This bring the total number of cases to 14.
1:30 p.m.
In a San Antonio City Council video briefing, San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood noted that the number of potential coronavirus cases they are responding to has increased in the last week.
Hood said that SAFD responded to 28 calls for possible coronavirus patients just yesterday and transported 17 people to the hospital, some very sick.
10:41 a.m.
The San Antonio Police Department shared their updated numbers for coronavirus cases within SAPD:
- Sworn Officer COVID-19 positive -5
- Officers in quarantine -13
- Civilians in quarantine-7
- Total SAPD Personnel Quarantined-20
10:37 a.m.
Comal County confirms two new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 39. one patient is a Garden Ridge resident, marking the first case in the city, and the second patient if from southwest Comal County. Both are home-isolated.
10:16 a.m.
The Bexar County Sheriff's Administration has confirmed 5 more inmates have tested positive for coronavirus. This brings the total number of inmate cases to 7.
9:20 a.m.
H-E-B updates product purchasing limits for food and non-food items.
7:41 a.m.
After weeks of holding out hope the Tour de France would be able to go ahead as planned despite the coronavirus pandemic, the world’s most famous cycling race was finally added to the list of sporting events called off.
Monday, April 13
9:30 p.m.
Karnes County officials are confirming a third coronavirus case.
8:45 p.m.
A San Antonio firefighter has tested positive for coronavirus according to SAFD Chief Charles N. Hood. He said that the firefighter last worked on April 7 and started to feel sick on April 10.
"Late this afternoon we learned of the first member of the San Antonio Fire Department family testing positive for COVID-19," Chief Hood said via email. "Contact tracing has already begun to ensure that individuals that interacted with this firefighter are being properly screened and, if necessary, tested for COVID-19."
6:13 p.m.
City leaders say there are 794 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on April 13. Three more people in the county have died, bringing the total to 33. 135 have recovered.
5:30 p.m.
Guadalupe County officials are confirming one more coronavirus case, bringing the total to 50.
5:00 p.m.
Kendall County officials have confirmed their first coronavirus case caused by community spread. The total number of cases in the county is now 12.
4:45 p.m.
Hays County officials are reporting their first coronavirus death, a woman in her 80s who was living with a family member in Buda. There are now 50 active cases in the county, and 42 have recovered.
4:00 p.m.
Wilson County officials have reported their first coronavirus death. They have confirmed 11 coronavirus cases in the county, including one due to community spread.
12:34 p.m.
Comal County has confirmed its fifth and sixth deaths related to COVID-19, as well as a 38th case of the disease.
Both deaths were men in their 80s who had been hospitalized in San Antonio; one from Bulverde died Saturday, and one from south of Canyon Lake died Sunday. They were included among the active cases confirmed by the county.
11:30 a.m.
Goldman Sachs and the LiftFund are helping Texas provide $50 million in loans to small businesses to help during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Greg Abbott announced at a press conference on April 13. Abbott said that $25 million of these loans come from a partnership between Goldman Sachs and LiftFund.
9:41 a.m.
The San Antonio Police Department shared their updated numbers for coronavirus cases within SAPD:
- Sworn Officer COVID-19 positive - 5
- Officers in quarantine - 13
- Civilians in quarantine- 11
- Total SAPD Personnel Quarantined- 24
8:45 a.m.
The latest numbers from Johns Hopkins University show there are 13,886 cases of coronavirus in Texas, and 296 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported.
6:50 a.m.
The United States has 557,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of midnight ET Monday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been 22,079 deaths. There have been more than 2.8 million tests for COVID-19 in the U.S.
6:30 a.m.
Delta Air Lines has implemented a back-to-front boarding procedure. During general boarding, passengers will be invited to board by rows, starting at the back. The airline says the change will prevent passengers from having to pass each other to get to their seats.
The measure will be in place through May 31, but that date could change depending on what is happening with the pandemic.
5:36 a.m.
Have you checked your bank account? An extra $1,200 in the bank was a welcome surprise for many Americans over the weekend who weren't expecting stimulus checks until this week. The first IRS payments were deposited several days ahead of schedule on Friday night. By Wednesday, April 15, tens of millions of Americans will have received their checks. Read more here and get the info you need to know.
Sunday, April 12
10 p.m.
Val Verde County officials have confirmed a twelfth coronavirus case, this one attributed to community spread.
6:10 p.m.
In their daily briefing on the coronavirus response, local leaders reported 49 more confirmed cases in Bexar County, bringing the total to 772. The number of COVID-19-related deaths has reached 30 after three more people passed away.
2:20 p.m.
Hays County reports its confirmed cases are up to 89, after seven new diagnoses of the coronavirus in the community. Two in the county are currently hospitalized with the disease, and 24 have recovered.
1:50 p.m.
Governor Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation extending his Disaster Declaration for all Texas counties in response to COVID-19. The Disaster Declaration provides the state a number of resources to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
"By extending my Disaster Declaration, we are ensuring the state of Texas continues to have adequate resources and capabilities to support our communities and protect public health," said Governor Abbott. "I urge all Texans to continue practicing social distancing and abide by the guidelines laid out by the CDC and my Executive Orders to slow the spread of COVID-19."
4:45 a.m.
Pope Francis celebrated Easter alone during the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Catholics around the world are forced to celebrate the most joyful day in the Christian calendar largely alone amid the sorrowful reminders of the devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
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.