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SA Coronavirus Timeline: April 5, 2020

Facts not fear: KENS 5 is tracking the latest headlines and updates about the global coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

SAN ANTONIO —

These are the facts:

  • There have been at least 7,142 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 133 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 5, according to Johns Hopkins University.
  • City leaders say there are 410 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on April 5; 127 of them are "community-transmission" cases. Officials confirmed one additional coronavirus-related death across Bexar County, bringing the total to 1. City officials are also releasing the zip codes of residents who have tested positive for the virus. Click here for that information.
  • 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.
  •  Many school districts in the San Antonio area have closed at least until May 4, after the governor ordered schools closed until then. Check our full list of free meals offered by some of the districts during the school closure.

Coronavirus Q&A | SA's "Stay Home, Work Safe" order | List of companies still hiring | Shopping times for seniors | Stimulus check calculator

Real-time updates:

Sunday, April 5

9:00 p.m.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas officials say they were informed on Saturday that a person who worked at the Wesley Health & Wellness Center during the week of March 23-27 has tested positive for coronavirus.

They say the center will be closed during the week of April 5-12 for thorough cleaning, and that all patient care will be conducted exclusively through virtual visits until Monday, April 13. They say the risk of patient exposure is "very low" because this team member had no contact with patients and is not a part of their medical operations.

7:18 p.m. 

Frio County is investigating a potential case of coronavirus, according to a press release from county officials released Sunday evening.

6:13 p.m. 

Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Judge Nelson Wolff held their daily press conference to update San Antonians on the local response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Another one of the Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center residents has died. A man in his 70s is the third resident of the facility to pass away since the outbreak at the nursing center.  

Looking at the numbers: There are currently 410 confirmed cases in the San Antonio Area, up from 384 reported Saturday. Of the 410 cases,110 are travel-related, 127 are community-transmission cases and 137 are considered close-contact. 36 cases remain under investigation. 67 San Antonians have fully recovered.

There are a total of 12 coronavirus-related deaths in San Antonio at this time. 

"These next few weeks are the time when we're going to make a difference in saving people's lives," Mayor Nirenberg said in response to the current "stay home, work safe" order in place. 

At this point in time, the peak of the virus in San Antonio is expected in the first or second week of May, Mayor Nirenberg stated.

Credit: KENS

4:00 p.m.

Four more people have tested positive in Hays County, bringing the total to 54.

1:00 p.m.

Checkpoints to screen vehicles have been set up on all roads entering Texas from Louisiana as of Sunday, April 5, according to Louisiana State Police.

These checkpoints are designed to prevent people from the state of Louisiana from spreading the coronavirus in Texas.

10 a.m.

Pope Francis has begun the first of several Holy Week ceremonies that will be held without the public this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Normally, tens of thousands of Romans and pilgrims, clutching olive branches, would have flocked to an outdoor Mass led by the pontiff. Instead, Francis was leading the ceremony inside the shelter of St. Peter’s Basilica, which seemed even more cavernous than usual because it was so empty.

9 a.m.

Americans braced for what the nation's top doctor warned Sunday would be "the hardest and saddest week" of their lives while Britain assumed the unwelcome mantle of deadliest coronavirus hotspot in Europe after a record 24-hour jump in deaths that surpassed even hard-hit Italy. 

"This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment,'' U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams told "Fox News Sunday."

Saturday, April 4 

7:50 p.m.

DeWitt County officials report a seventh confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, classified as community spread. The county urges residents to follow Gov. Greg Abbott's new stay-home mandate. 

6:30 p.m.

VIA bus routes are moving to “Saturday” schedules starting on Monday with some reduced hours and routes.

Some routes will not be operating and others will offer limited service. All of that information is at VIAinfo.net, and updates on VIA's coronavirus response can be found here.

6:10 p.m.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced that two more people have died in Bexar County, bringing the total to 11.

Both were men in their 80s with underlying health issues, and one was a resident at the Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation facility where 66 others have tested positive. There are now 384 confirmed cases in the county, and 47 have recovered.

2:00 p.m.

An employee at the H-E-B Plus! on Loop 1604 at Bandera Road has tested positive for coronavirus.

According to the company, the employee was last at the store on March 27. They say the store has been deep-cleaned multiple times since then, and all other employees who had contact have been notified.

11:38 a.m. 

Officials in Comal County have confirmed another three additional cases of coronavirus, totaling 21 cases. The announcement marks the third consecutive day of three new cases confirmed. At least two of the case are considered community transmission.

9:10 a.m. 

Kendall County and the City of Boerne confirm a new case of coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to nine. The newest case if travel-related.

7 a.m. 

The worldwide total of confirmed COVID-19 cases is just over 1.1 million with almost 60,000 deaths and 233,000 recoveries.

Click here for previous updates.

RELATED: Coronavirus Q&A: What San Antonio needs to know to stay safe

RELATED: Coronavirus live updates: US has over 7,000 deaths; Americans recommended to cover faces in public

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, hot 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.

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.

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