Texas reports new single-day record of 105 COVID-19 deaths, over 9,000 new cases
As Texas struggles to contain the spread of COVID-19, the state reported a record high in deaths related to the virus and hospitalizations continued to rise Thursday.
The state reported 9,782 new cases and 105 deaths, setting a new single-day record, according to Texas Department of State Health Services data. The most cases the state has had in a single day is 10,028, which was reported Tuesday. The state’s seven-day average testing positivity rate is at 15.56%.
Hospitalizations rose to 9,689, a new high, according to state data. COVID-19 patients occupy about 17% of all available beds. Experts have attributed the surge in hospitalizations in part to gatherings and holiday weekends.
On Wednesday, the Texas Tribune reported that Texas’ new cases of the coronavirus make up around 14% of the U.S. total. Since July 1, the U.S. has reported 358,027 new infections. Of those, 50,599 were in Texas.
Now, Texas has reported a total of more than 200,000 cases and 2,000 deaths, according to the state data. It’s estimated that over 100,000 people have recovered.
Estimated active cases over time
Coronavirus daily active case estimates by local counties in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex, beginning April 8, 2020. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services.
Gov. Greg Abbott told KRIV-TV in Houston on Thursday night that, “I think the numbers are going to look worse as we go into next week.”
Earlier Thursday, Abbott expanded his ban on elective medical procedures to over 100 more counties across most of West, Central and South Texas in an effort to ensure sufficient hospital capacity to treat COVID-19 patients.
To curb the recent surge in cases, Abbott also recently mandated face masks in most public places across Texas, shut down bars and reduced restaurants’ capacity to 50%.
Abbott emphasized that shutting down the state is his last option. He told KRIV-TV that “the only strategy we have left to avoid having our economy shut down again is for everyone to use a mask to slow the spread.”
Staff writer Tessa Weinberg contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 5:04 PM.
