Hospitalizations of COVID patients in Texas reach all-time high for sixth day in a row
Hospitalizations of patients with the novel coronavirus in Texas hit an all-time high Wednesday, making it the sixth day in a row that they have broke records.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 2,793 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized Wednesday — an increase of 275 patients from the previous record of 2,518 patients hospitalized Tuesday.
COVID-19 hosptializations have set records nine of the past 10 days. From Monday to Wednesday last week, hospitalizations broke records before dipping back down to 2,008 patients on Thursday. Since then, the figures have continued to rise with 2,166 patients Friday, 2,242 patients Saturday, 2,287 patients Sunday and 2,326 hospitalized Monday.
Hospitalizations are one of the key metrics Gov. Greg Abbott has said he is monitoring. In a press conference Tuesday, Abbott said that the increase in hospitalizations “does raise concerns,” but that “there is no reason right now to be alarmed.”
Abbott pointed to an “abundant supply” of available beds. As of Wednesday morning, DSHS reported 13,815 beds, 1,473 intensive care unit beds and 5,844 ventilators available in the state.
While no restrictions or pauses on the state’s phased reopening of businesses were announced, officials stressed that hospitals can surge bed capacity and staff if needed, such as setting up pop-up facilities. Abbott reiterated that he could also reintroduce limits on elective medical procedures to increase hospital capacity if needed.
Hospitalizations have been trending upward since late May, and have increased by about 84.8% since the 1,511 patients hospitalized on Memorial Day. Before last week, the previous record for hospitalizations was on May 5, with 1,888 patients.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations over Time
Coronavirus daily hospitalization counts in Texas and the larger Trauma Service Areas, beginning April 8, 2020. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services.
Tuesday, Texas also saw a new single-day high of 2,622 new COVID-19 cases. That afternoon, the state also reported 1,476 new cases from Texas Department of Criminal Justice testing that had been previously diagnosed but not reported, and the state surpassed 2,000 COVID-19 related deaths.
Another metric Abbott has said he is focusing on is the infection rate — how many cases are positive out of the number tested — which has been trending upward since late May. The state’s seven-day average infection rate rose to 8% on June 6, and was at about 6.71% Monday.
Public health experts have said it’s not entirely unexpected that the number of cases is increasing as businesses reopen and people begin to gather and venture outside. However, they cautioned the state has yet to see the full effects of hundreds gathering across the state to protest police brutality, and that Texans must continue to stay home as much as possible, wear face masks and socially distance amid the uptick in cases.
Democratic lawmakers have pushed back on Abbott’s reopening plan, and have stressed that the state has yet to meet all its testing benchmarks while cases continue to rise. And the mayors of Texas’ largest cities sent a letter to Abbott Tuesday, urging him to restore their ability to enforce the wearing of face masks.
In late April, Abbott had stripped local officials of their ability to require face masks be worn, and his office pushed back on local officials’ request Tuesday.
A recent study worked on by researchers from Texas A&M University and UT Austin found that wearing a face mask is one of the most effective ways to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the state has continued to move forward with its phased reopening of businesses. Nearly all businesses may open their doors to customers at some capacity, and last Friday restaurants were permitted to increase their occupancy to 75%.
“Jobs can be maintained without jeopardizing the health of a community if everyone follows the safe strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Abbott said Tuesday.
This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 11:03 AM.
