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SA Coronavirus Timeline: March 30, 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 3,133 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 43 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 5:55 p.m.. on Monday, March 30, according to Johns Hopkins University
  • Metro Health has reported 168 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on March 30; 57 of them are "community-transmission" cases. Officials have confirmed six coronavirus-related deaths across Bexar County. City officials are also releasing the zip codes of residents who have tested positive for the virus. Click here for that information.
  • Many school districts in the San Antonio area have closed at least until April 24. Some may be out longer. Here's our list of school closings. And check our full list of free meals offered by some of the districts during the school closure.

List of canceled events | School closures | College and University closures | Coronavirus Q&A

Real-time updates:

Monday, March 30

8:15 p.m.

Guadalupe County now has 15 coronavirus cases confirmed. Officials provided a breakdown of where the patients live inside the county.

6:15 p.m.

Metro Health has reported 168 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on March 30; 57 of them are "community-transmission" cases. Mayor Ron Nirenberg confirmed a sixth coronavirus-related death in Bexar County, a man in his 50s with underlying health issues.

Nirenberg said that 42 patients have been hospitalized, and 11 are on ventilators. However, 44 people in the county have recovered.

6:01 p.m.

Two new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Hays County. The total in the area Is now 18, according to county officials.

4:57 p.m.

A VIA employee has tested positive for coronavirus. According to a VIA spokesperson, the patient was an administrative employee who had "little to no contact" with the public. The employee is currently at home in quarantine.

4:50 p.m.

A federal judge temporarily blocked Texas' ban on abortions during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Texas Tribune.

The ruling came less than a week after Texas abortion providers announced a lawsuit against top state officials, challenging Attorney General Ken Paxton's assertion that Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order banning all procedures deemed to not be medically necessary should be interpreted to include abortions. 

4:22 p.m.

While no employees with the San Antonio Fire Department have yet tested positive for coronavirus, 15 uniformed SAFD employees are currently quarantined due to travel, according to an SAFD spokesperson.

A total of 70 SAFD employees have quarantined; all but one will return to work by the end of the week, the department said.  

4:05 p.m.

Some coronavirus patients at University Hospital will have access to a new investigational treatment as UT Health San Antonio joins a national study.

75 hospitals across the country are studying the effects of a new antiviral drug on critically ill coronavirus patients.

2:06 p.m.

Bexar County confirms its sixth coronavirus related death. The individual was a man in his 50s and had underlying health conditions. He received treatment at Methodist Northeast Hospital for an unrelated health issue and passed away at the hospital.

The city said a San Antonio Police Officer tested positive for COVID-19, contracted, and their case is travel-related. 

RELATED: San Antonio Police officer tests positive for coronavirus, police confirm

Metro Health has determined that two other SAPD officers are at a high risk of exposure and will be quarantined for 14 days, in alignment with CDC’s recommendations. 

11:29 a.m.

Boerne Mayor Tim Handren confirmed its seventh case of coronavirus in Kendall County.

11:19 a.m.

Comal County confirmed its second death from coronavirus; total cases reach 11.

10:47 a.m.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg's office confirms he hopes to extend the "Stay Home, Work Safe" order (currently through April 9) following new federal social distancing guidelines. Nirenberg's office said he will work with County Judge Nelson Wolff on an extension.

“It’s almost a certainty that we won’t lift it. The question will be how long do we extend it,” the mayor said Monday morning.

10:30 a.m.

Starting today, H-E-B is helping Texans by donating meals to multiple food banks across the state, including the San Antonio Food Bank. In total, H-E-B will deliver 24 truckloads of food to various food-banks throughout Texas. This donation will provide half a million meals to 13 different food banks.

9 a.m.

Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street Monday in more volatile trading as investors try to assess whether global authorities can do enough to nurse the economy through the damage caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

7 a.m.

Rescheduled Tokyo Olympics to open July 23, 2021

Sunday, March 29

6:15 p.m.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced that there are now 157 confirmed cases of coronavirus in San Antonio and a total of five deaths because of the virus.

4:00 p.m.

The Val Verde Regional Medical Center announced that one of their doctors has tested positive for coronavirus, possibly exposing patients and employees in the last week.

Dr. Daniel Chartrand, an OBGYN, tested positive on March 28. They are asking employees and patients who had contact with him to monitor their symptoms and come to their walk-in clinic for a test if they want one.

3:50 p.m.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office announced that a civilian employee at the video visitation facility has tested positive for coronavirus.

The employee returned home from a cruise on March 15, went to work on March 16 without symptoms, but reported feeling sick on March 18. Officials say the employee came in contact with the public at work between March 16 and 18, but those people are at a low risk of exposure.

3:30 p.m.

Governor Greg Abbott announces the state's latest measures to fight the spread of coronavirus, including a mandatory two-week quarantine of anyone traveling into Texas from Louisiana by road (with some exemptions). 

Abbott also announced the number of hospital beds reserved for COVID-19 patients has doubled in the past week, to 16,000. A temporary pop-up hospital in Dallas is also expected to bolster the response to the disease, with more temporary healthcare facilities possible down the road. 

2 p.m.

H-E-B is helping Texans by donating meals to multiple food banks across the state, including the San Antonio Food Bank. In total, H-E-B will deliver 24 truckloads of food to various food-banks throughout Texas. This donation will provide half a million meals to 13 different food banks.

8:15 a.m.

The first federal inmate has died of coronavirus in a Louisiana prison. Health experts say prisons and jails are considered a potential epicenter for America's coronavirus pandemic. Even hand sanitizer is considered contraband in some facilities because of its alcohol content.

Saturday, March 28

6:30 p.m.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a press conference that there would be no camping in San Antonio parks over Easter. He also said the city has received 417 violations and zero citations.

6:15 p.m.

Local leaders report 20 more positive cases of COVID-19 over Friday, bringing the total number in Bexar County to 140. In a daily social media update, Mayor Ron Nirenberg says 50 of those cases are travel-related, while 46 are community-transmission cases. 

The number of local deaths as a result of the novel coronavirus remains at five. 

Nirenberg added that, beginning later this evening, the city will be sharing zip codes of residents who have tested positive for the virus.

5:09 p.m.

Bexar County authorities were informed of two additional cases involving County employees who have tested positive for COVID-19.

5:02 p.m.

UTSA faculty member and student test positive for coronavirus. UTSA President Taylor Eighmy says they are separate cases. They have also been away from campus for weeks. Both are travel-related cases.

3:21 p.m.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office has placed 27 inmates and 2 Court Security Deputies under medical observation after they were identified as being potentially exposed to coronavirus through secondhand contact.

1:27 p.m.

Karnes County confirms second case of coronavirus. The case reportedly arose due to out of state travel.

12:10 p.m. 

Uvalde County confirms second case of coronavirus, according to the Uvalde Leader-News. The patient is reportedly a correctional officer employed with the Uvalde County Jail. Sheriff Charles Mendeke stated that his employee contracted the virus via community spread. 

12:02 p.m. 

Val Verde County confirms fifth case of coronavirus.

10:46 a.m. 

SNAP and Medicaid benefit renewals currently due will automatically be renewed so existing clients can maintain continuity of coverage during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a press release sent out by the Texas Health and Human Services on Saturday. 

8:35 a.m.

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections worldwide tops 600,000 on Saturday as new cases stack up quickly in Europe and the United States and officials dig in for a long fight against the pandemic.

Friday, March 27

9:05 p.m.

According to a letter sent to the Texas State University community of Friday, March 27, a faculty member at the school has tested positive for COVID-19.

The faculty member became ill around March 17 while away from the San Marcos campus.

8:20 p.m.

A fourth case of coronavirus has been confirmed in Val Verde County. According to officials with the city of Del Rio, the latest case is travel-related. So far, the County has one case of community-transmitted COVID-19.

6:20 p.m.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said they would monitor parks ahead of the Easter holiday. The normal Easter crowds in San Antonio's parks would violate the city's "Stay Home, Work Safe" order.

The City is closing playgrounds and basketball courts at local parks, effective Friday.

6:15 p.m.

At an update Friday evening, Mayor Nirenberg said there are 120 cases of coronavirus in Bexar County, with five deaths from the virus. 33 patients are currently hospitalized.

Nirenberg said the numbers will likely spike over the next few days. due to increased testing. 

5:45 p.m. 

St. Anthony Hotel, located downtown, announced it would close until the end of May. It's the largest unplanned closure in the hotel's 111-year history. 

5:30 p.m.

There are now over 100,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States according to Johns Hopkins. Over 1,500 Americans have died, and nearly 2,000 Texans have tested positive.

4:48 p.m.

Kendall County officials said the number of confirmed cases in their county has risen to six. All six cases in the Boerne area are either travel-related or contracted through someone the patients live with, according to the county. 

3:34 p.m.

President Donald Trump announced that he has signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, a 2.2 trillion-dollar relief package that will send checks to Americans and provide relief for businesses forced to close due to coronavirus.

3:00 p.m.

Stocks took a tumble Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 915.39 points, or 4% of its value. The NASDAQ and S&P 500 both posted losses closer to 3.5% heading into the weekend.

This follows the biggest three-day surge for the market since 1931.

2:37 p.m. 

Dewitt County officials confirm third case of coronavirus. This case is confirmed to be a person-to-person transmission of the virus.

12:25 p.m.

The House rushed President Donald Trump a $2.2 trillion rescue package Friday, tossing a life preserver to a U.S. economy and health care system left flailing by the coronavirus pandemic.

12:00 p.m.

There is now community spread of coronavirus in Comal County, with nine cases confirmed in the county.

According to officials, a woman in her 80s has tested positive. She reported visiting the Bulverde H-E-B  on March 10 and March 12 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and the Bulverde Walmart on March 16 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

11:40 a.m. 

Val Verde County confirms a third case of coronavirus. This most recent case has been determined to be a community spread-related case. The first two cases in the county were international travel-related.

6:15 a.m.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus. He made the announcement early Friday on Twitter.  He is experiencing mild symptoms and is in self-isolation.

6 a.m.

Southwest Airlines will cancel approximately 40% of its daily flights starting Friday. It's the latest move by U.S. airlines to respond to the decreased demand in air travel as people stay home and practice social distancing.

American Airlines announced this week it will limit food and drink service in the main cabin based on the length of the flight and destination as a way to cut down on interactions. Passengers are welcome to bring their own food or drink.

Thursday, March 26

10 p.m.

Some San Antonio businesses are breaking the rules and not following the 'Stay Home, Work Safe' orders, which are in effect right now.

Leaders say those who disobey should pay. District Eight City Councilman Manny Pelaez said he is receiving several complaints from employees calling out their own workplaces. repeat offenders will face fines, but none have been issued yet.

7:00 p.m.

New numbers from Metro Health indicate 113 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Bexar County. Five people in the county have died.

39 cases of community transition now exist in Bexar County.

6:00 p.m.

Metro Health has confirmed a fourth death in Bexar County. The patient was a woman in her 40s who received care at Baptist Hospital. A spokeperson for the hospital offered the following statement: 

"Our hearts go out to the family for their loss. We are here for them and committed to providing compassionate, quality care for our patients during this critical time as always."

Health officials have not yet released an updated number of confirmed cases Thursday. 

5:20 p.m.

The first death from coronavirus in Comal County was confirmed Thursday. County officials said the patient was a New Braunfels man in his 40s. He died Thursday afternoon at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, where he had been treated.

Eight coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the county.

5:00 p.m.

The United States now has the most confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, according to numbers reported by Johns Hopkins University. There have been 82,404 cases in the U.S.

4:55 p.m.

Hays County officials are reporting the county's 12th and 13th confirmed cases of coronavirus. All 13 cases are adults; one positive case has recovered and is out of quarantine, according to the county.

3:20 p.m.

A Bexar County Juvenile Probation Officer has tested positive for coronavirus. The employee has not been at work since March 13.

2:44 p.m.

The San Antonio City Council officially approved the "Stay Home, Work Safe" order to continue through April 9. Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued the order Monday to take effect late Tuesday night. Everyone living within San Antonio are ordered to stay home, only leaving the house to "perform allowed activities." Click here for a full explanation.

1:47 p.m.

Uvalde County reports first case of coronavirus.

12:54 p.m.

Cibolo now has two additional cases of the coronavirus, bringing the reported total to three. Out of the two latest cases, one of them has been determined as travel-related and the other is still undetermined.

12:20 p.m.

Toyota extends production suspension; Manufacturing facilities remain closed through April 17, with production resuming on April 20.

11:43 a.m.

Leon Valley issued changes to its city ordinance declaration of local disaster:

  • Removes the Center for Disease Control recommended limit of 10 people in a confined space for food, household staples and retail stores, replacing it with the requirement for the owner/manager to ensure its patrons are practicing proper social distances of six feet or more apart
  • All businesses operating within the city limits are required to cease all activities if not identified as one of the above-exempted business examples
  • The city basketball court, tennis court, bathrooms and playgrounds in all city parks shall remain closed until April 17 or longer if the ordinance is extended
  • The City Council authorized businesses in Leon Valley to place no more than two temporary signs within 100 feet of an open business establishment

8:20 a.m.

Comal County confirms its eighth positive case of coronavirus. The case is travel-related; the patient became symptomatic after traveling internationally. 

7:45 a.m. 

U.S. jobless claims soar to record 3.3. million as layoffs jump, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. 

6:45 a.m.

U.S. Department of Labor figures to be released Thursday are expected to shatter the old record for the greatest number of new unemployment claims filed in a single week. There are more suddenly jobless Americans than during the Great Recession.

6:30 a.m.

NBA star Stephen Curry will host a live Q&A with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It starts at 1 p.m. EDT and you can see it by following @stephencurry30 on Instagram. 

12:45 a.m.

U.S. deaths from the pandemic topped 1,000 Wednesday night, according to Johns Hopkins University. Approximately 25% of those were in New York City.

Wednesday, March 25

7:20 p.m.

Guadalupe County officials are confirming four more cases, bringing the total there to eight.

7:10 p.m.

The latest figures from Metro Health show there are are 84 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Bexar County, up from 69 on Tuesday. Twenty-seven of them are community-transmission cases, while 36 are travel-related and another dozen classified as "close-contact."

Officials also reported a third death in the county—a woman in her 50s who had chronic underlying health conditions, according to the city. She passed away at Mission Trail Baptist Hospital. 

6:30 p.m.

A third case of coronavirus has been confirmed in the Kendall County community. Boerne city officials say all three cases in the area are travel related.

Boerne City Council extended an emergency health declaration for 30 days, until April 23.

4:45 p.m.

San Antonio Metro Health said they've received 199 calls and observed 160 violations since March 19. That day, Mayor Ron Nirenberg restricted dining options at restaurants and shut down some non-essential businesses, such as bars, bowling alleys, and bingo halls. No citations have been issued.

1:25 p.m.

Governor Greg Abbott is asking the U.S. government to allow SNAP users to be able to use their benefits at drive-thru restaurants in an effort to help families who may be struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.

12:30 p.m.

The Hays County Local Health Department has been notified of an additional confirmed case of COVID-19, bringing the total cases in Hays County to 10. All 10 positive cases are adults, and the 10th case is a resident of Buda.

11:35 a.m. 

Boerne/Kendall County confirms third cases of coronavirus. All three cases have been reported as travel-relates. 

11:30 a.m.

The first coronavirus case in Val Verde County has been confirmed by health officials, who say the patient flew into San Antonio International Airport.

County officials say the case is travel-related, and that the patient and their family drove straight to their home in Del Rio for self-quarantine. Officials have not yet disclosed if or when there was possible exposure at the airport, but they say they will give an update today.

11:25 a.m. 

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Comal County is up to seven.

11:00 a.m. 

Karnes County reports its first case of coronavirus.

10:15 a.m.

Stocks are peeking higher in early morning trading on Wall Street Wednesday, as indexes look to lock in their first back-to-back gain since the market's brutal sell-off began last month on worries about the coronavirus outbreak.

9:25 a.m.

Texas has received a $16.2 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL) to help communities provide meals for older adults.

7:00 a.m.

More school districts overnight and early this morning joined the list of districts extending the school closure until April 24. Click here for a full list.

5:45 a.m.

Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, has tested positive for the new coronavirus. The prince's Clarence House office says the 71-year-old is showing mild symptoms of COVID-19 and is self-isolating at a royal estate in Scotland. It says his wife Camilla has tested negative.

12:45 a.m.

Congress has reached a deal for a $2 trillion coronavirus rescue deal. The stimulus would send checks directly to Americans, expand unemployment aid and assist small business, larger industries and hospitals.

Tuesday, March 24

6:40 p.m. 

City officials confirm the second coronavirus-related death. The patient was a woman in her 40s who had been receiving treatment at University Hospital, where she ultimately passed away. She was pronounced dead on March 24.

5:00 p.m.

Hays County officials report two more confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing their community's total up to nine. One of the new patients lives in a residence with people connected to Carpenter Hill Elementary School, according to officials, but they don't believe the patient themselves was on campus before spring break. 

4:30 p.m.

More San Antonio-area school districts have extended closures through April 24. Click here for our real-time updated list of closings.

4:10 p.m.

Twelve new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus are reported by Metro Health officials, bringing the total number of COVID-19 patients in Bexar County up to 69. Thirty-two of those are travel-related, and 18 are community-transmission. 

4:00 p.m.

North East Independent School District and Northside Independent School District both announced they will extend their school closures through April 24, following the city issuing its "stay home, work safe" order on Monday.  

3:00 p.m. 

Bexar Appraisal District grants business owners a 30-day rendition extension. More information can be found here. 

2:45 p.m. 

Governor Abbott announces during a press conference that 715 cases have tested positive in Texas. 11 deaths have been reported in the state. A total of 11,000 Texans have been tested at this time.  

RELATED: Gov. Abbott to give update on Texas coronavirus response

2:20 p.m.

The Edwards Aquifer Authority will transition to a complete telecommuting workforce starting today at 5 p.m. through Friday, April 10, 2020.

1:19 p.m.

Comal County extends disaster declaration as a fifth positive case of coronavirus is confirmed. The patient is in their 50s, lives in New Braunfels and has self-quarantined. The case is travel-related, officials said.

10:15 a.m.

Top congressional and White House officials emerged from grueling negotiations at the Capitol over the nearly $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package saying they expected to reach a deal Tuesday.

9:00 a.m.

A coalition of restaurants nationwide wants to encourage people to order out on Tuesday, March 24. They’re calling it the #GreatAmericanTakeout.  

8:00 a.m.

The Ecumenical Center in San Antonio started a new initiative - allowing people to call them for help who are feeling depressed, anxious or stressed. Click here for all the details and tips on starting up a new routine to get you through the stay at home period.

7:38 a.m.

The Tokyo Olympics have been officially postponed until 2021. The International Olympic Committee along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and local organizers have decided that the Tokyo Games cannot go ahead as scheduled this year because of the coronavirus outbreak.

5:42 a.m.

UT Health San Antonio is working to support San Antonio’s medical and health care providers by collecting much-needed supplies of protective gear from the public.

5:36 a.m.

The Harlandale ISD School Board voted to allow all full-time employees to continue to get paid on days they are asked to stay home or work from home.

For previous updates, click here.

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

RELATED: Coronavirus calendar: Here's what's closed, canceled or postponed in the San Antonio area

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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