SAN ANTONIO —
These are the facts:
- There have been at least 3,726 cases of coronavirus in Texas and 53 reported deaths from COVID-19 as of 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, according to Johns Hopkins University.
- City leaders say there are 207 confirmed positive cases in San Antonio as of 6:15 p.m. on March 31; 63 of them are "community-transmission" cases. Officials have confirmed nine 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.
Real-time updates:
Tuesday, March 31
8:15 p.m.
SAPD has released new information about an officer who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. According to the department, a member of the officer's household had traveled to New York. The officer was at work for four-and-a-half days after coming into contact with his relative.
6:15 p.m.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg says the number of COVID-19-related deaths in Bexar County is now up to nine, and the number of total cases is up to 207; that's an additional 39 cases from Monday's update.
Nirenberg added that, between county and private labs, about 2,500 coronavirus tests have been administered in Bexar County.
The mayor also said there will be a city-wide moment of silence currently planned for Thursday at 9 a.m. to remember those who have died from the coronavirus locally.
5:45 p.m.
DeWitt County officials reported the fourth confirmed case of coronavirus in a county resident. According to the county, an investigation by health officials indicated the case is travel related.
4:30 p.m.
During the White House's daily task force briefing, President Trump called upon American citizens to heed the call to make sacrifices over the next 30 days to help slow the spread of coronavirus.
White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx explained that the administration has relied on a model which projects there will be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. if social distancing is maintained. She added that it was "still way too much."
4 p.m.
The Hays County Local Health Department reports 10 additional lab-confirmed cases overnight and today, along with four more patients who are cleared/recovered.
2:30 p.m.
Gov. Greg Abbott expanded his executive order, which "in short," means Texans are expected to stay home unless they are doing an activity or work somewhere listed as essential. A list of essential services can be found online. If Texans must leave their home, they must follow the "presidential standard of distancing practices," Abbott said.
2:12 p.m.
Texas schools will remain closed until at least May 4, Gov. Greg Abbott announced.
1:32 p.m.
Officials with Peterson Regional Medical Center have confirmed the first case of coronavirus in Kerr County.
11:43 a.m.
Comal County officials confirm the recovery of two more coronavirus patients, bringing the total of residents who have recovered from the disease to five.
8:40 a.m.
Stocks are opening slightly lower on Wall Street as investors close out a brutal month of March. The S&P 500 is headed for its biggest quarterly decline since the last quarter of 2008. For the Dow, it could be the worst three-month period since late 1987.
8:30 a.m.
Walmart has announced it will be taking additional health and safety measures to keep its workers safe amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter on the Walmart website, the company said it would begin taking the temperatures of associates as they come to work. Employees running temperatures of 100 degrees or higher will be paid for reporting to work and asked to go home. The company has also ordered masks and gloves for employees to use.
8:21 a.m.
Frost will donate a total of $2 million to Texas nonprofits helping to alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Frost officials announced Tuesday. The donations will be made in the regions where Frost has operations and will include $1 million in funds distributed to nonprofits in Frost’s headquarters region of San Antonio.
7:15 a.m.
Spain recorded on Tuesday 849 new coronavirus deaths, the highest number since the pandemic hit the southern European country, according to the country’s health ministry. With both new infections and deaths up around 11% each, to a total of 94,417 confirmed cases and 8,189 fatalities, Spain is seeing a slight rebound in the outbreak.
7:05 a.m.
USAA employees now have access to curbside pick-up of meals and essential grocery food items across their corporate campuses. Employees can place daily weekday orders for same-day curbside pick-up of prepared meals and grocery food items, such as produce, milk, and eggs.
6:45 a.m.
The world total climbed to more than 800,000 cases as many countries continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic. In the United States, New York's governor begged for health care reinforcements, saying up to 1 million more workers were needed.
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.
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.
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.