2 More Die Of Coronavirus In Williamson County, Death Count 72

Tony Cantu
Updated ·3 min read

WILLLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Two more Williamson County residents have died of the coronavirus to bring the historical fatality count to 72, officials said Sunday.

The latest victims of the respiratory illness for which there is no cure were a woman in her 70s and a man in his 90s. Williamson County and Cities Health District officials are precluded from releasing further details per patient privacy laws.

“Thinking about the families that are going on without their loved one today and sending them prayers during this difficult time," Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said in a prepared statement. "Nothing can take away their pain from losing a loved one too soon due to COVID-19. All we can do moving forward is to stop the spread of this disease through the actions that are within our power. Wear a face covering and keep social distancing. These things will protect yourself and others, especially the most vulnerable in our community."

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in the Austin area. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

The coronavirus reach has been especially lethal in Williamson County in the past 30 days. The two latest deaths come one day after health officials reported on Saturday three people had died — a man in his 60s, another in his 80s and a woman in her 80s. On Friday, July 17, a woman in her 80s and a man in his 50s succumbed to the illness. On Thursday, health officials reported four deaths in a single day — all women, ranging in ages from their 60s to their 90s. The day before, five fatalities were reported in a 24-hour period — the highest number of fatalities in a single day, a county spokesperson told Patch. Those July 15 deaths involved a man in his 50s, another in his 70s, two women in their 80s and another in her 70s.

The four deaths reported on July 16 brought to 3o the number of deaths in a mere three-week span. Since then, a total of 37 people have succumbed to coronavirus within a month's time.

According to a statistical dashboard maintained by the Williamson County and Cities Health District, there have been 4,792 confirmed coronavirus cases in the region since the onset of illness. There are an estimated 1,059 active illness cases, according to the dashboard, with 105 residents hospitalized — including 37 being treated at intensive care units and another 20 on ventilators to assist them with breathing.

Meanwhile, hospital resources in the county continue to dwindle. According to the data, only 26 percent of hospital beds are available along with 14 percent on ICU beds. Ventilators are more plentiful, the data show, with 62 percent availability.

For more information on the latest COVID-19 cases count in Williamson County, visit the Williamson County and Cities Health District dashboard located at www.wcchd.org/COVID-19/dashboard.php. The dashboard information is updated daily by around 4:30 p.m.

Related stories:

Those with symptoms of respiratory illness such as cough, fever and shortness of breath are urged to contact their health care providers. However, health officials stress the importance of calling ahead before arriving at a clinic, urgent care, or emergency department to avoid potential illness spread.

For information on the county response to COVID-19, visit www.wilco.org/COVID-19.

This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch