4 More Die Of Coronavirus In Williamson County
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Four more Williamson County residents died of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, health officials reported on Thursday, raising the historical death count to 65. The deaths follow five fatalities reported the previous day.
The latest victims were all women, two in their 90s, one in her 60s and another in her 70s, health officials said. They were precluded from issuing more details due to patient privacy laws. The latest data are found on a statistical dashboard updated daily by Williamson County and Cities Health District officials.
“These are not just residents of Williamson County that we have lost, these are grandparents, parents, spouses and friends," Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said in a prepared statement. "My heart goes out to the families that are mourning these tragedies. COVID-19 may be in our community, but we have the tools to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and those who are most vulnerable to this disease. Face coverings, hand washing, cleaning surfaces, and social distancing can help save valuable lives.”
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The four deaths come a mere day after five people died of the respiratory illness. Health officials described the victims as:
A man in his 50s.
A man in his 70s
A woman in her 70s.
A woman in her 80s.
A second woman in her 80s.
In response to an emailed question from Patch, Williamson County spokesperson Connie Odom confirmed the number of deaths reported Wednesday is the greatest number to occur in the county in a single day since the onset of illness.
The coronavirus reach has been especially lethal in the past three weeks across Williamson County, with 30 deaths blamed on the illness scourge occurring during that time span.
Related story: 2 More Coronavirus Deaths In WilCo Raise Total Fatalities to 56
Two deaths reported on Monday — a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s — brought to 21 the number of deaths occurring in a three-week time span. On Sunday, health officials said a man and woman in their 90s succumbed to the illness. The previous Saturday, officials reported a man in his 60s had died of the virus after two men in their 50s and 70s died of the same cause last Friday. On Wednesday last week, two other men in their 70s succumbed to the powerful virus. A man in his 90s was reported to have died from the illness the previous Tuesday, preceded by the deaths of three more people the Monday before.
According to the Williamson County and Cities Health District statistical dashboard, there have been 4,420 confirmed coronavirus cases in the county since the illness began to sweep over the region. There are 1,033 active cases, the data indicate, with 104 patients currently hospitalized — including 32 being treated at intensive care units and another 17 placed on ventilators to help them breathe.
The dashboard data show a dwindling amount of hospital resources, with available hospital beds down to 24 percent and available ICU beds at 11 percent. Ventilators are more plentiful, with 66 percent of the medical devices currently available, according to the dashboard data.
For more information on the latest COVID-19 cases count in Williamson County, please visit the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) dashboard located at www.wcchd.org/COVID-19/dashboard.php. The dashboard information is updated daily.
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 note the importance of calling ahead before arriving at a clinic, urgent care, or emergency department to avoid potential spread.
For information on the county response to COVID-19, go to www.wilco.org/COVID-19.
This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch
