SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Thursday night. Nirenberg said that community-spread cases have now surpassed travel-related cases, making community transmission the most common source of exposure.
Below are a few highlights:
- Nirenberg reported 254 COVID-19 cases and 9 deaths in Bexar County, as of Thursday. The mayor also reported 79 travel-related cases, 82 community transmission cases, 47 cases under investigation, 72 hospitalizations, 34 patients in intensive care and 19 patients on ventilators. He said 47 people have recovered.
- Nirenberg announced an uptick in COVID-19 cases confirmed at Southeast Nursing & Rehabilitation Center San Antonio. He reported 59 more residents have tested positive for COVID-19, 11 residents tested negative for the virus and two were inconclusive. He said these figures were not included in today’s total count and will be included in tomorrow’s count. He also said more information would be coming tomorrow. However, the nursing home figures from today are in addition to the ones who tested positive yesterday. Click here to read more.
- “We should assume the virus is in every corner of this city," Nirenberg said during the update. He emphasized that community spread has now surpassed travel-related cases in the county, which is why it’s important to follow the stay-home orders imposed by the city and county.
- The mayor thanked the community for participating in the moment of silence to remember the people who have died due to complications of COVID-19 and to honor health care workers.
- Wolff said the city and county have both sent letters to religious leaders, asking them to obey local orders to avoid more community spread.
- Wolff talked about the deputy who tested positive for the virus. He said the situation at the jail is under control.
- The judge said residents should prepare for rough weeks ahead and emphasized the need to continue staying home.
- During the question-answer portion of the news conference, Nirenberg said a contact investigation is underway at Southeast Nursing & Rehabilitation Center San Antonio. He said the city looked into an additional facility owned by the company, and it is operating as it should.
- Nirenberg told reporters the city continued to look at hospital transports from nursing homes for any possible uptick in cases. He also said the city is working to improve analytics on the data it has received.
Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. Find all past daily briefings and watch live every day here.
San Antonio Mayor and Bexar County Judge give live, daily updates here at 6:10 p.m.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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