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Coronavirus Tracker: Local positivity rate drops, but reduced testing reported due to winter storms

Facts, not fear: We're tracking the latest numbers from the coronavirus pandemic in San Antonio and across Texas.

SAN ANTONIO — We're tracking the latest numbers from the coronavirus pandemic in San Antonio and across Texas. Here are the latest numbers reported by Bexar and surrounding counties: 

  • Bexar County: On Monday, 230 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 193,691. No new deaths were reported, so the local death toll remains at 2,752.
  • Hays County: On Monday, officials reported 199 new cases in the county and six additional COVID-related fatalities. Monday's reports reflect data collected between February 13 - 22. There were a total of 16,036 lab-confirmed local cases, while the death toll rose to 208. Officials estimate 15,114 residents have recovered, while 714 are still ill with the virus on this date.
  • Comal County: Officials last reported data on February 12, when 65 new cases and no additional COVID-related fatalities were added to the county's totals. As of February 12, 8,831 total COVID-19 cases were reported, including 4,650 confirmed and 4,163 probable cases, while 269 county residents had died due to COVID-19 complications.

More county case information is available through the Texas Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.

Stay updated with our latest information on coronavirus vaccines and local vaccine distribution with our ongoing Vaccine Tracker.

How Bexar County is trending

We've tracked how many coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Bexar County from the time officials began reporting cases in March 2020. The graphic below shows the number of cases since June and charts those daily case numbers along a 7-day moving average to provide a more accurate picture of the overall coronavirus case curve in our area and the direction we're trending amid the pandemic.

On Monday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported 230 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total since the beginning of the pandemic to 193,691. No new deaths were reported; the confirmed death toll in the area remains at 2,752.

The county's seven-day rolling average was not reported due to a lack of testing caused by last week's winter storms. According to Metro Health, the city tests between 60-70,000 on a normal weekly basis. Last week, around 10,000 residents were tested.

Credit: KENS

The number of patients in Bexar County hospitals rose slightly Monday. 13 more coronavirus hospitalizations were reported on Monday in comparison to Sunday, bringing the day's concurrent total to 608. 59 patients were admitted in the past day.

223 patients are in intensive care, a decrease of 9 over the last 24 hours, while 100 patients are on ventilators.

Credit: KENS

The local positivity rate dropped to 7.5%, a decrease of 2.2 percentage points over the last two weeks. Due to reduced testing, health officials calculated the percentage using data from the past 14 days. Mayor Nirenberg noted that Bexar County's positivity rate is currently the lowest of any major metropolitan area in Texas.

The county's risk level is at an improving moderate level.

Coronavirus in Texas

The total number of novel coronavirus cases in the state since the pandemic began grew by 6,365 on Monday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. That total includes 2,355 new confirmed cases, 277 new probable cases, and a backlog of 3,733. More details can be found on this page

The smaller number of new cases may be attributed to lower testing numbers as Texans sheltered from last week's historic winter storms. 

Monday's figures bring the total number of Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 to more than 2.594 million.

Credit: KENS

Meanwhile, state health authorities reported an additional 64 deaths from coronavirus complications in Texas. In all, 41,407 Texans have died from COVID-19.

Hospitalizations continue to drop across the state. The number of COVID-19 patients receiving treatment for their symptoms throughout Texas decreased by 182, to a current count of 6,964 on Monday. That continues the positive downward trend for Texas that began in mid-January and brings statewide hospitalizations down to their lowest levels since November 11.

The state, meanwhile, estimates that about 2.331 million Texans have recovered, while 202,748 Texans remain ill with COVID-19.

The latest update from the Texas Education Agency showed that there have been at least 175,077 cumulative cases among staff and students on Texas public school campuses through Feb. 7. That number comprises 113,311 positive student cases and 61,766 staff cases. More information can be found here.

The TEA typically releases new data on school cases on Fridays, but last week's data is delayed due to the past week's storms. 

[VIEW: PREVIOUS DAY'S TRACKER]

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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.

    San Antonio operates several no-cost testing locations, including two walk-up locations open Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.:

    Cuellar Community Center
    5626 San Fernando St.
    San Antonio, TX 78237

    Ramirez Community Center
    1011 Gillette Blvd.
    San Antonio, TX 78224

    Additionally, Freeman Coliseum offers drive-through no-cost testing from Monday through Sunday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. An appointment is required and can be made either online or by calling (833) 213-0643.

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

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