Texas Sees 8,112 New Coronavirus Cases, 168 More Deaths

Tony Cantu
Updated ·3 min read

AUSTIN, TX — Texas health officials on Saturday reported another 8,112 new cases of the coronavirus and 168 more deaths. The unwanted gains raise the historical levels to 375,846 confirmed cases and 4,885 fatalities since the onset of illness across the Lone Star State.

The latest uptick comes one day after 8,701 new cases and 196 more deaths were reported on Friday. The death count on Friday was the second-highest, single-day increase from the 197 new deaths that were reported just two days before on Wednesday.

The data are found on the Texas Department of State Health Services statistical dashboard that is updated daily. Since July 20, according to the data, 759 deaths — an average of 151 per day — have been logged on the dashboard. Saturday marks the tenth time the state has reported at least 100 deaths in a single day.

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The dashboard indicates there are currently 149,451 active cases of the respiratory illness across the state. Health officials also reported an estimated 221,510 recoveries, but the data for that category are increasingly being called into question over accuracy.

"This number is an estimate based on several assumptions related to hospitalization rates and recovery times, which were informed by data available to date," health officials wrote in the way of a disclaimer on recovery data. "These assumptions are subject to change as we learn more about COVID-19. The estimated number does not include data from any cases reported prior to 3/24/2020."

Despite the unknowing nature of recovery data and the ever-increasing figures related to cases and deaths, Texas does appear to be reaching a plateau as it relates to trends, health officials have noted. However, the need for proactive measures continue to be urged toward flattening the curve — wearing of protective face coverings, adherence to physical distancing measures and the practice of good hygiene that includes hand washing and the use of anti-bacterial gel.

Health officials and politicians have stressed the importance of practicing health guidelines toward the goal not only of blunting the spread of illness but ensure a full reopening of the state economy largely stalled amid the pandemic. Illness rates have grown exponentially since Gov. Greg Abbott launched an aggressive reopening of the state economy that started on May 1 — a week after Georgia launched a similar effort as the first state to do so. Abbott has since taken steps to pump the brakes on his own reopening by halting 100 percent occupancy at businesses already operating at lower attendance. For the second time, he also recently ordered bars to close and banned elective surgeries and medical procedures to accommodate a potential influx of coronavirus patients.

According to the state's statistical dashboard, the counties with the highest illness levels are:

  • Harris: 62,619 cases.

  • Dallas: 44,746 cases.

  • Bexar: 29,826 cases.

  • Tarrant: 24,562 cases.

  • Travis: 19,177 cases.

  • Hidalgo: 15,153 cases.

  • El Paso: 12,971 cases.

  • Nueces: 7,994 cases.

  • Galveston: 7,914 cases.

  • Cameron: 7,846 cases.

  • Fort Bend: 6,460 cases.

  • Denton: 5,915 cases.

  • Collin: 5,682 cases.

  • Montgomery: 5,597 cases.

  • Brazoria: 5,299 cases.

  • Williamson: 5,203 cases.

  • Lubbock: 4,962 cases.

  • Jefferson: 4,880 cases.

  • Webb: 4,872 cases.

  • Hays: 4,133 cases.

  • McLennan: 3,885 cases.

This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch