SAN ANTONIO —
These are the facts:
- There have been at least 13,352 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 273 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, according to Johns Hopkins University.
- City leaders say there are 723 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on April 11; 232 of them are "community-transmission" cases while 263 were caused by close contact with another patient. Twenty-seven people in the county have died.
- Governor Abbott issued an executive order telling people to stay home unless working in an "essential service" or doing an activity deemed essential. Here is what that means.
Coronavirus Q&A | SA's "Stay Home, Work Safe" order | List of companies still hiring |Shopping times for seniors | School districts offering free meals
Saturday, April 11
9:15 p.m.
The Governor's Mansion in Austin lit up blue Saturday night in honor of healthcare workers on the frontlines against the coronavirus in Texas.
“Their sacrifice and hard work cannot be overstated,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. “They play a crucial role in ensuring their fellow Texans have the care and support they need during this challenging time.”
6:15 p.m.
Local leaders reported 58 more confirmed diagnoses of the coronavirus in Bexar County in a daily update, bringing the total to 723 in the metro. The death toll also rose to 27, including two more residents from Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation who have passed away after a recent outbreak.
Meanwhile, the number of those recovered shot up, from 92 on Friday to 119 on Saturday, according to Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
“We are doing the right thing, and we are doing it together," he said during the update. "Don’t give up on staying home and staying safe. We are making a difference—a huge difference.”
6:05 p.m.
For the second time in as many days, a Bexar County inmate has tested positive for COVID-19. County authorities say the affected individual tested for the virus after developing a fever.
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office says the inmate "was housed in a unit where there is minimal face-to-face contact" with others, as well as "physical barriers." According to officials, others who work in the same unit face a low risk of contracting the coronavirus.
5:50 p.m.
Officials in Kendall County report an 11th confirmed case of the coronavirus in the community, a travel-related diagnosis affecting a Boerne resident. The City of Boerne has six of the county's positive cases, while one is in Fair Oaks Ranch and another four live in rural areas.
5:30 p.m.
The number of worldwide deaths from the coronavirus reaches 107,000 while the number of infections surpasses 1.7 million.
3 p.m.
Governor Greg Abbott announced he will temporarily loosen regulations on physicians-in-training to help fortify the healthcare workforce on the frontlines against COVID-19.
11:03 a.m.
Val Verde County authorities have confirmed their tenth case of COVID-19 in the county, said to be community spread related. The patient has been quarantined and undergoing treatment for the past ten days. The individual is stable and recovering well. Four of the previous COVID-19 cases in our county have recovered.
7 a.m.
The confirmed number of coronavirus cases in the United States was more than 501,000 around 8 a.m. ET on Saturday, according to the count by Johns Hopkins University. There have been over 18,000 deaths in the U.S. and 29,000 recoveries.
Worldwide there were more than 1.7 million confirmed cases with more than 103,500 deaths and 382,000 recoveries.
6:53 a.m.
The National Institutes of Health is looking for 10,000 volunteers to participate in a study to learn how much the new coronavirus has spread undetected in the United States. Researchers will collect and analyze blood samples of the volunteers, who haven't tested positive with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Friday, April 10
9:20 p.m.
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office announced Friday night that 11 additional recently graduated deputies have tested positive for coronavirus.
The entire graduated cadet class 2020-Alpha was placed on leave Sunday, April 4, after one graduate tested positive for coronavirus. A second deputy tested positive the following Tuesday; the latest group of positive test results brings the total number of deputies from the 2020-Alpha class to 13.
7:40 p.m.
Kerrville city officials have announced they will close the Scott Schreiner Municipal Golf Course Saturday. The closure will remain in effect until further notice.
6:10 p.m.
Fifty new cases of the novel coronavirus in Bexar County were reported by local leaders in a daily briefing, bringing the total to 665. Meanwhile, two more COVID-19 patients have died after the local outbreak at the Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, increasing the area death toll from the virus to 24.
5 p.m.
San Antonio officials say local nursing home residents who test positive for the coronavirus will now be housed in one of two nursing facilities whose current residents will go elsewhere in the meantime.
3:45 p.m.
Hays County reports three additional cases of the novel coronavirus in its community on Friday, bringing the total there to 82. Three residents are currently hospitalized, and thirteen tests are pending; 492 tests have come back negative.
3:25 p.m.
Officials at The Village of Incarnate Word, a local senior living facility, say a second employee there has tested positive for the coronavirus. They did not, however, interact directly with residents.
1:05 p.m.
Officials in Val Verde County confirm an eight case of coronavirus in the county. The eighth reported case is confirmed to be community spread related.
12:20 p.m.
An official with SAPD announces that one of the five officers who have tested positive for coronavirus, has been hospitalized but is feeling better and hopes to leave the hospital soon. The remaining four officers are recovering at home and are expected to return to work over the course of the next few days.
11:45 a.m.
Bexar County Sheriff's Officer Administration announces an inmate at the jail has tested positive for coronavirus. This marks the first inmate to test positive for coronavirus at the jail.
11:35 a.m.
Comal County officials have confirmed three new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total in the county to 37.
9:46 a.m.
An official with the San Antonio Police Department confirms a total of five positive cases of coronavirus among sworn officers. 19 officers are currently in quarantine and 11 civilian employees of the department are in quarantine, for a total of 30 SAPD personnel currently quarantined.
7:15 a.m
Cameron County has reported its second and third coronavirus-related deaths at two nursing homes in Harlingen. The two patients were a 91-year-old woman who lived in the Veranda Nursing Home and a 93-year-old woman who lived at the Windsor Atrium, according to a news release.
6:30 a.m.
Pharmaceutical giant Sanofi says it is donating 100 million doses of a malaria drug being tested for use as a treatment against the new coronavirus. In a statement Friday, the company said the hydroxychloroquine doses will be given to 50 countries. The company said it also is ramping up production, aiming to quadruple is capacity to manufacture the drug.
5:30 a.m.
Worldwide, there are 1.6 million confirmed cases with 95,718 deaths and nearly 355,000 recoveries.
RELATED: Coronavirus live updates: Trump says reopening the country will be biggest decision he ever makes
Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath, 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.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
- The air by coughing or sneezing
- Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
- Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
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.
Lower your risk
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
The CDC recommends wearing a mask or cloth face covering if you have to be out due to an essential service or essential activity such as going to the grocery store.
If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.