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Coronavirus Tracker: Texas deaths surpass 12,000

Facts, not fear: KENS 5 is tracking the latest numbers from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in San Antonio and across Texas.

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: 189 new cases were reported Thursday, bringing the total number for the county to 45,811. The county death toll, meanwhile, rose to 767 after 13 additional fatalities were reported.
  • Comal County: The county reported 13 additional cases and four additional deaths Thursday. There have been a total of 2,908 cases of COVID-19 in the county – including 2,308 confirmed cases – while 85 county residents have died. County officials say there are 483 active coronavirus cases, and 2,340 residents are considered recovered.
  • Hays County: Officials in Hays County on Thursday reported 18 new cases in the county. As of Thursday evening, there were a total of 5,340 lab-confirmed cases in the county (2,378 of which are active) while the death toll stood pat at 46.

How Bexar County is trending

We've tracked how many coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Bexar County from the time officials began reporting cases in March 2020. The graphic below shows the number of cases since June and charts those daily case numbers along a 7-day moving average to provide a more accurate picture of the overall coronavirus case curve in our area and the direction we're trending amid the pandemic.

On Thursday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported an additional 189 coronavirus cases in Bexar County, continuing August's trend of lower case totals than the metro saw earlier in the summer. At least 45,811 county residents have been infected with COVID-19. 

Nirenberg also reported an additional 13 virus-related deaths stretching back to July 3. The development raises the death toll for Bexar County to 767. 

Credit: KENS

Hospitalizations, meanwhile, continue to decrease for Bexar County. On Thursday, the number of those receiving treatment for coronavirus symptoms was down to 412. The number of patients using ventilators (132) and in ICU (197) are also down from Wednesday. 

Credit: KENS

Coronavirus in Texas

The Texas Department of State Health Services on Thursday reported an additional 5,600 cases of the novel coronavirus across the state, 541 of which are from two backlogs, details of which can be found at the top of this page. As of Thursday, at least 597,737 Texans have been infected with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the state reported an additional 265 coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the total for the Lone Star State to 12,070. 

Credit: KENS

Meanwhile, the number of Texans receiving treatment in hospitals for coronavirus symptoms saw one of its biggest drops of the month. On Thursday, 4,489 Texans were hospitalized, which is 317 fewer than Wednesday. 

June 24 was the last time fewer than 4,500 Texans were hospitalized for COVID-19. 

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As the school year begins to get underway for local districts, we are also keeping track of the most important updates for each, including links to dashboards created to track coronavirus cases.

Latest Coronavirus Headlines

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.

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