WATCH: City, county officials advise residents to wear cloth face covers to reduce spread of COVID-19

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 Monday night.

• Nirenberg reported 456 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths in Bexar County, as of Monday. The mayor also reported 115 travel-related cases, 139 community transmission, 49 cases under investigation and 153 close-contact. He said 91 patients are in the hospital, 52 are in intensive care, 35 are on ventilators and 77 have recovered.
• Wolff issued a new executive order for Bexar County, which is in effect until April 30. (See order below with new information.) The order refers to the closure of county parks and golf courses, guidelines for nursing homes and workers, and temperature checks for those entering county buildings, among other changes. The order also prohibits evictions and foreclosures. Nirenberg said the City Council will align its order with the county’s on Thursday.
• Nirenberg said local health officials will be asking the public to wear face covers starting Tuesday. He asked the public not to wear surgical masks so that health care workers can continue to have access to those. Both leaders pointed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for face mask guidance. When asked if he would wear a face mask, Nirenberg said he would if social distancing is not possible.
• Nirenberg said the public is still ordered to stay home, and the use of face masks should not imply that residents can be out unless necessary. He said city workers on the front lines will receive masks.
• Both officials said the city and county have plenty of hospital beds and ventilators available, but they are preparing in case there is a spike in cases.
• Nirenberg said data improvements to the city’s COVID-19 website are coming soon.
• Health officials are expected to provide more information tomorrow on face mask guidelines.

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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