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: On Tuesday, 192 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 201,010. One new death was also reported; the local death toll from virus complications rose to 2,991.
- Hays County: On Tuesday, officials reported 26 new cases in the county and no additional COVID-related fatalities. There is now a total of 16,784 lab-confirmed local cases, while the death toll remained at 232. Officials estimate 16,111 residents have recovered, while 441 are still ill with the virus.
- Comal County: Officials reported 15 new cases on Wednesday, along with one additional virus-related death. As of Wednesday, 9,490 total COVID-19 cases have been reported, including 4,997 confirmed and 4,472 probable cases, while 303 county residents have died due to COVID-19 complications.
More county case information is available through the Texas Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.
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 Tuesday, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported 192 new coronavirus cases in Bexar County, bringing the total number of local cases to 201,010. The seven-day rolling case average rose slightly to 174.
One additional virus-related death was reported in the community; in all, 2,991 Bexar County residents have died from virus complications.
Local hospitalizations dropped slightly to 206 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at area facilities, which nine fewer than Monday. Today's number represents the lowest total since October 23. Over the last 24 hours, 31 new patients were admitted to local hospitals. 5.3% of all hospitalized patients in Bexar County have COVID-19.
Of the 206 currently-hospitalized patients, 47 patients are on ventilators and 84 are in intensive care.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, more than 23% of Bexar County residents 16 or older have received at least one vaccine dose. More than 13% are fully vaccinated.
In Monday's weekly update of Bexar County's progress and warning indicators, health officials noted that the positive rate had jumped to 5.6% over the previous week, a change of three percentage points. Nirenberg attributed the rise to a decrease in testing over the last week, possibly caused by Spring Break.
The case rate per 100,000, meanwhile, dropped to 9.1. Bexar County remains in the low-risk level, as tracked by Metro Health.
Coronavirus in Texas
The total number of novel coronavirus cases in the state since the pandemic began grew by 5,068 on Tuesday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. That total includes 4,279 new confirmed cases, 559 new probable cases, and a backlog of 230 cases. More details can be found on this page.
Tuesday's figures bring the total number of Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 to more than 2.726 million.
Meanwhile, state health authorities reported an additional 130 deaths from coronavirus complications in Texas. In all, 45,700 Texans have died from COVID-19 complications.
The number of concurrent hospitalizations across the state has decreased for the sixth day in a row, this time by 113 to 3,980 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment for their symptoms across the state, as of Monday. The last time the figure was below 4,000 was October 11.
The state, meanwhile, estimates that about 2.565 million Texans have recovered, while 111,691 Texans remain ill with COVID-19.
The latest update from the Texas Education Agency showed that there have been at least 193,496 cumulative cases among staff and students on Texas public school campuses through March 7. That number comprises 126,154 positive student cases and 67,342 staff cases. More information can be found here.
The TEA typically releases new data on school cases on Fridays.
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.
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.
Find a Testing Location
City officials recommend getting a COVID-19 test if you experience 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, or diarrhea.
Here's a Testing Sites Locator to help you find the testing location closest to you in San Antonio.