SAN ANTONIO – Editor’s Note: Watch the entire briefing in the video player above. Newsletter recipients can click here to access the video.
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.
Here are a few of the highlights:
- Nirenberg reported 36,438 total COVID-19 cases and 323 total deaths in Bexar County, as of Monday, an increase of 355 new cases. Zero new deaths were reported today.
- City officials also reported that 1,073 patients are hospitalized, 431 are in the intensive care unit and 294 are on ventilators. There are 11% of staffed beds available and 45% of ventilators available.
- The city’s dashboard shows the last time zero new deaths were reported was on June 29.
- Nirenberg said there will be an update to the data on the Sg2 model on the city’s website on Tuesday.
- The mayor said one person came to San Antonio as a hurricane evacuee from the coast this weekend and was helped by the Red Cross.
- Dr. Anita Kurian, assistant director of the Metropolitan Health District, said additional staff is being brought in to help with contact tracing and case investigations.
- Kurian said while the city’s progress indicators are trending in the right direction, there is still a high positivity rate and high number of hospitalizations, and people should continue to follow recommended guidelines. She said the goal is a 5% positivity rate. The rate is currently at 17.7%.
- Kurian said 12 children and five staff members at a children’s shelter in the Woodlawn area tested positive for COVID-19. She said they were already in their 10th day since they had gotten tested, and a majority of them were asymptomatic.
- The assistant Metro Health director strongly recommended those with high-risk diseases to seek participation in local COVID-19 vaccine trials.
- Kurian also reminded people not to wait to seek medical attention despite the high number of hospitalizations in the city. Call 911 if you need emergency assistance.
Track daily spikes in COVID-19 cases in San Antonio, Bexar County
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT:
