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Coronavirus Tracker: Bexar Co. hospitalizations reach lowest levels since mid-November

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 Friday, 287 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 197,784. Three new deaths were reported, bringing the local death toll from virus complications to 2,681. 
  • Hays County: On Thursday, officials reported 23 new cases in the county and one additional COVID-related fatality. There is now a total of 16,458 lab-confirmed local cases, while the death toll increased to 225. Officials estimate 15,619 residents have recovered, while 614 are still ill with the virus.
  • Comal County: Officials reported 22 new cases and eight backlogged cases on Friday, along with no additional virus-related deaths. As of Friday, 9,268 total COVID-19 cases have been reported, including 4,890 confirmed and 4,358 probable cases, while 294 county residents have 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 Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported an additional 287 novel coronavirus cases in Bexar County, bringing the local to 197,784 since the pandemic started. The seven-day average of daily new cases fell to 298. 

Meanwhile, the local death toll increased to 2,681 after Nirenberg reported an additional three deaths from virus complications. 

Credit: KENS

Hospitalizations in Bexar County continued their downward trend, and have fallen to their lowest levels since Nov. 11. On Friday, 335 coronavirus patients were receiving treatment for symptoms at area hospitals; that's a drop of 33 from Thursday.

Of those 335 patients, 65 are on ventilators and 126 are in intensive care. Both those figures are day-to-day drops as well. 

Credit: KENS

Coronavirus in Texas

The total number of novel coronavirus cases in the state since the pandemic began grew by 6,853 on Friday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. That total includes 4,277 new confirmed cases, 1,636 new probable cases, and a backlog of 940 cases. More details can be found on this page

Friday's figures bring the total number of Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 to more than 2.678 million.

Credit: KENS

Meanwhile, state health authorities reported an additional 256 deaths from coronavirus complications in Texas. In all, 44,134 Texans have died from COVID-19. 

Texas hospitalizations saw another large drop of 198 on Friday, decreasing to 5,065 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment for their symptoms across the state. Since the pandemic's high point of 14,218 hospitalizations on Jan. 12, the figure has fallen by 64%.

The state, meanwhile, estimates that about 2.470 million Texans have recovered, while 147,360 Texans remain ill with COVID-19.

The latest update from the Texas Education Agency showed that there have been at least 190,308 cumulative cases among staff and students on Texas public school campuses through Feb. 28. That number comprises 123,875 positive student cases and 66,433 staff cases. More information can be found here.

Credit: KENS

The TEA typically releases new data on school cases on Fridays.

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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.

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

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