BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — We're tracking the latest numbers from the coronavirus pandemic as well as the vaccine efforts in San Antonio and across Texas.
Latest Coronavirus Numbers
Here are the latest numbers reported by Bexar County and state officials:
Bexar County (data as of Tuesday, April 27):
- 137 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 216,476.
- 1 new death was reported, raising the county's death toll to 3,351.
- 270 patients currently hospitalized; 49 patients are on ventilators and 78are in intensive care.
Metro Health reports new data at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Texas (data as of Tuesday, April 27):
- 5,223 cases reported, including 3,293 new confirmed, 898 new probable, and 1,032 backlogged cases. More than 2.871 million Texans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
- 49 additional deaths were reported, raising the statewide death toll from virus complications to 49,022.
- 2,779 Texans were hospitalized Saturday, which is 61 more than the previous day.
More county case information is available through the Texas Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.
Vaccine Progress in Bexar County
Across Bexar County, just over 1.215 million vaccine doses have been administered, as of April 26.
- 750,879 Bexar County residents have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, representing 48.4% of the county's population eligible to receive a vaccination.
- 497,266 Bexar County residents are fully vaccinated, representing 32.1% of the county's population eligible to receive a vaccination.
- 253,613 Bexar County residents (16.3%) have not yet received their second vaccine dose.
The Department of State Health Services defines "population" as residents who are 16 years of age or older; in Bexar County, this represents more than 1.55 million people. The CDC states that "when a high percentage of the community is immune to a disease (through vaccination and/or prior illness)," that community will have reached herd immunity, "making the spread of this disease from person to person unlikely."
74,063 vaccines were administered last week in Bexar County, according to DSHS; a total of 1.215 million vaccine doses have been administered in the county since vaccination efforts began 19 weeks ago.
Across Texas, 7.295 million residents are fully vaccinated. In total, the state has administered 17.369 million vaccine doses, as of April 26. Texas is one of 14 states with less than 27% of its population fully vaccinated, as of April 25:
Bexar County COVID-19 Trends
Last week's update of the Warning Signs and Progress Indicators for Bexar County saw Bexar County holding steady at the low-risk level. The positivity rate dropped slightly to 1.9%, as of Monday, April 26.
The county's seven-day moving average of daily COVID-19 cases rose to 246, a splke of 74 cases per day since last Monday:
The number of COVID-19 patients receiving treatments at area hospitals rose by 24 ove the weekend. As of Monday, 262 patients are hospitalized, while 50 patients are on ventilators and 80 are in intensive care.
Latest COVID-19 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.
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.