TEXAS, USA — The number of Texans hospitalized due to COVID-19 has dipped below 10,000 for the first time since Dec. 19, 2020.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, there are currently 9,957 people in the hospital battling the coronavirus, down from 10,827 on Friday.
EDITORIAL NOTE: The above video originally aired on Jan. 21 when Houston's hospitalization numbers were surging.
This is encouraging news considering last month the state was reaching alarming numbers with the number of people hospitalized from the virus.
At the beginning of January, Texas reported an all-time record of 14,218 COVID hospitalizations. Holiday gatherings were mostly to blame for the dramatic increase in numbers.
Just two weeks ago, Harris County reported its hospitalizations started to reach summer surge level. But on Monday, Houston's Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Persse said hospitalizations and positivity rates were starting to level off.
Although the new numbers reported from DSHS are good news, officials warn that this is not a sign to start letting down your guard.
"We got to keep vigilant on this. We have to get this together. Vaccinate when you can,” President of the Houston Emergency Nurses Association Kevin McFarlane said.
The Texas DSHS also reported 348 more COVID-19 fatalities Saturday. The state's total death toll is now at 38,476.
Health officials say the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the keys to life getting back to normal, but it won’t help the number of hospitalizations and deaths happening right now.
What will help is slowing the spread of the virus in the community by wearing masks, washing your hands and social distancing.