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Coronavirus Tracker: 15 more COVID-related deaths, nearly 5,500 new cases reported in Bexar County

A federally operated COVID-19-testing site continues to be held at the Alamodome until Feb. 4.

SAN ANTONIO — Fifteen more San Antonio-area residents have died from COVID-19 complications as the pandemic continues to devastate Bexar County, prolonged by the highly contagious omicron variant

The development raises the local death toll to 5,062, including 49 in the last week alone. 

Health authorities also reported nearly 5,500 new coronavirus cases, raising the local pandemic total to 464,703. The seven-day case average rose slightly, from 5,534 to 5,540 on Tuesday. 

The Bexar County positivity rate also increased once more to 39.4% as long lines continue to appear at testing sites and a federal one continues to operate at the Alamodome until Feb. 4. 

Meanwhile, after briefly plateauing over the weekend, local coronavirus hospitalizations rose to 1,277 on Tuesday, the highest number of Bexar County residents receiving treatment for COVID-19 since Sept. 1. Of those 1,277 patients, 286 are in intensive care and 119 are using ventilators to help them breathe. 

With millions of Americans now waiting to receive free at-home COVID test kits, KENS 5's Jeremy Baker asked experts about what you should remember to get the most accurate results. 

How Bexar County is trending

Credit: KENS
Credit: KENS

Vaccine Progress in Bexar County

The following numbers are provided by San Antonio Metro Health. A full breakdown can be found here.

  • 1.699 million eligible Bexar County residents have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine as of Thursday, Jan. 13, representing 89.7% of the county's population eligible (those over the age of 4) to receive a vaccination.
  • 1.383 million eligible Bexar County residents are fully vaccinated as of Thursday, Jan. 13, representing 73% of the county's population eligible to receive a vaccination.
Credit: KENS

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."

The City of San Antonio breaks down the vaccination rates by zip code on Metro Health's Vaccination Statistics page.

Coronavirus in Texas

The total number of coronavirus cases in the state since the pandemic began grew by 45,056 on Tuesday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. That total includes 35,572 new confirmed cases and 9,484 new probable 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 6.02 million.

An additional 154 Texans have died from virus complications, meanwhile, raising the statewide death toll to 77,058.

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.

A self-screening tool is available to see if you need a test.

Here's a Testing Sites Locator to help you find the testing location closest to you in San Antonio.

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