SAN ANTONIO — We're tracking the latest numbers from the coronavirus pandemic in San Antonio and across Texas. Here are the latest numbers reported by Bexar and surrounding counties:
- Bexar County: 1,334 new cases were reported Friday, along with two additional virus-related deaths. There is now a total of 12,878 cases and 117 fatalities in the county. The number of local COVID-19-positive patients currently in area hospitals, meanwhile, rose once again to 1,089. 345 patients are in intensive care, and 192 are on ventilators.
- Comal County: The county reported 71 new coronavirus cases and one fatality Friday. Nine people have now died in the county, while 301 have recovered. The positivity rate has risen to 12.67%, the highest the county has recorded since the pandemic began. As of Friday, there is a total of 907 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases in Comal County.
- Hays County: 126 new cases were reported Thursday, bringing the total to 3,050 cases and seven fatalities in the county. 84% of those cases are considered active, and just under half of the county's confirmed cases are young people between the ages of 20 and 29.
Bexar County reports the full numbers daily at 7 p.m.
How Bexar County is trending:
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.
At a Friday afternoon briefing, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Bexar County set a dubious new record with 1,334 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases – the highest figure yet for the area – bringing the total to 14,212. Friday's new cases represent 9.4% of the new total during the pandemic for Bexar County.
Local hospitalization trends also continued to worsen. Nirenberg reported that more county residents with COVID-19 are in local hospitals (1,089 total), in intensive care (345) and on ventilators (192). He once again Friday emphasized the importance of staying home for the Fourth of July this year to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and prevent another surge.
Coronavirus in Texas
State health officials reported 7,555 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total number of diagnoses during the pandemic to beyond 183,500 heading into the Fourth of July Weekend.
Friday's count is the third-highest for Texas thus far. There were no daily reported totals of 7,000 cases before this week.
Meanwhile, 50 additional virus-related deaths were reported in the Lone Star State. In all, 7,652 Texans have died from virus-related complications.
Current hospitalizations also continued to rise and set new high-water marks on Friday, with 270 more COVID-19-positive patients being admitted to facilities across the state over the last 24 hours. On Friday, a total of 7,652 Texans were in hospitals with the virus—the highest that number has been.
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Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, 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.
On June 25, the CDC expanded the list of groups at a higher risk of severe illness due to coronavirus.
Experts determined there was consistent evidence these conditions increase a person's risk, regardless of age:
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Obesity (BMI of 30 or higher)
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 2 diabetes
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread...
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
- Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.
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.