SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg started Tuesday's coronavirus briefing with a sad update and a sober warning as the number of confirmed cases in Bexar County surpassed 500.
"18 of our friends and neighbors in our community have now succumbed to COVID-19," Nirenberg said, offering condolences to the families who have lost loved ones. "These next few weeks will be difficult."
He said that 88 San Antonians have been hospitalized, and 40 are on ventilators. As he's been doing for several weeks now, he reminded people that as more tests are conducted, more people will test positive and require medical care.
The U.S. Surgeon General said on Sunday that this week would be the hardest and saddest week of many Americans' lives, likening it to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor. President Trump warned that there will be "a lot of death," and as of now coronavirus has killed at least 12,722 Americans.
Federal and local officials are optimistic that the peak will come soon for places like New York City and New Orleans, but the peak here is expected to come later.
In the briefing on Sunday, Nirenberg said that the peak of hospitalizations and deaths in San Antonio is not expected until the first or second week in May, about a month from now.
Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff stressed that the best way to keep that peak as low as possible is to practice social distancing and follow the city's Stay Home, Work Safe order.
"The health of our community overall is really what we're all working toward, each and every one of us," he said. "Stay at home, work at home, only go out for essential things, keep your hands clean, and stay six feet away from each other."
Nirenberg reiterated those points, and asked San Antonians to leave groceries for their neighbors in this difficult time. He ended his prepared remarks on a positive note.
"We are going to get through this," he said.