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: 184 new cases were reported Saturday, bringing the total number of cases for the county to 60,629. No new deaths reported, so the county's death toll remains at 1,211.
Comal County: The county reported 16 additional cases – comprised of 10 new cases and six backlogged cases – and no additional virus-related deaths on Friday. There have been a total of 3,642 cases of COVID-19 in the county – including 2,822 confirmed cases – while 120 county residents have died. County officials say there are 107 active coronavirus cases, and 3,415 residents are considered recovered.
Hays County: Officials in Hays County on Friday reported 21 new cases in the county and two additional virus-related deaths. As of Friday, there are a total of 6,155 lab-confirmed cases in the county (727 of which are active) while the death toll rose to 61. 5,367 residents have recovered from the virus.
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 Saturday, Metro Health updated its online coronavirus dashboards to reflect an additional 187 cases in Bexar County, bringing the total to 60,629. No new deaths were reported; in all, 1,211 county residents have died from virus complications.
After Bexar County reached 200 hospitalizations on Friday, the number dipped back under that mark to start the weekend. On Saturday, 192 county residents were receiving treatment for their symptoms; of those, 29 patients were using ventilators and 81 were in intensive care.
Coronavirus in Texas
The number of Texans who have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began grew by 4,885 on Saturday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
4,581 of those are new diagnoses over the last 24 hours, while the other 304 cases stem from a number of backlogs in several counties. More details can be found at the top of this page.
In total, 820,563 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Texas.
State health authorities, meanwhile, reported 81 additional virus-related deaths on Friday. At least 16,984 Texans have passed away from COVID-19 complications.
Meanwhile, COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose slightly throughout the state Saturday. Twenty-seven more Texans were receiving treatment for COVID-19 than Friday, bringing the total to 4,275. A troubling October trend continues with the new hospitalization numbers; over the past week, hospitalizations have risen by 647. This month, it's risen by 931.
The state estimates that 723,204 Texans have recovered, while 82,176 Texans remain ill with COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Texas Education Agency updated its online coronavirus database to show that there have been 15,898 cumulative cases among staff and students across the state as of Oct. 15. More information can be found here.
The TEA releases new data on school cases every Thursday.
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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.
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.