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Coronavirus updates in Central Texas: Travis County announces 657 new cases, 3 more deaths

Here are the latest COVID-19 updates, closures and postponements in Central Texas for Monday, July 13.

AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer active. For the latest updates, check out our new blog here.

KVUE is keeping you updated with the latest coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, news in the Austin area.

Scroll down for the top headlines and latest updates in KVUE's July 13 live blog.

COVID-19 numbers:

  • Texas: More than 258,100 cases have been reported in the state, and more than 3,100 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. More than 132,600 people have recovered.
  • Central Texas counties: 
    • Travis County: Over 14,700 cases have been reported and at least 169 people have died. At least 11,268 people have recovered from the virus.
    • Hays County: Over 3,500 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 11 people have died. At least 655 people have recovered from the virus.
    • Williamson County: More than 3,800 cases have been reported in the county and at least 54 people have died. More than 970 people have recovered from the virus.

Top headlines:

Latest updates:

6:35 p.m. – Two more youth at the Giddings State State School have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 74. 

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department also provided the following information:

Since the start of the pandemic, 142 youth at the agency’s secure facilities have tested positive for COVID-19:    

  • Evins Regional Juvenile Center: 22  
  • Gainesville State School: 13  
  • Giddings State School: 74  
  • McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility: 31  
  • Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex: 2  

Since the start of the pandemic, 118 staff members at the agency’s secure facilities have tested positive for COVID-19:    

  • Evins Regional Juvenile Center: 48  
  • Gainesville State School: 8  
  • Giddings State School: 35 
  • McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility: 8  
  • Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex: 19 

6 p.m. – Travis County health officials announce 657 new cases, 594 new recoveries and three more deaths. There have now been 15,445 total cases reported, 11,862 recoveries and 172 deaths.

5:45 p.m. – The Travis County Sheriff's Office (TSCO) reports seven new COVID-19 cases among the Travis County Jail inmate population. Two of the inmates were booked in as known positive, four were housed in quarantine with symptoms when tested and one was booked at a local hospital and is still there.

According to TCSO, there have been 19 total positive cases among inmates, out of 399 tested. Fifty-two TCSO employees have tested positive: 10 in law enforcement, 34 in corrections and eight in administration and support.

5:15 p.m. – Hays County reports 88 new lab-confirmed cases, two people released from the hospital and 38 additional recoveries. This update includes the demographic data from Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The county’s total of lab-confirmed cases is 3,643; of those, 2,939 are considered active. The total number of individuals considered recovered is 693. The number of negative tests is 10,827. The county is awaiting results on 73 tests. Hays County has had 72 total hospitalizations; 20 people are currently hospitalized.

RELATED: LIST: Confirmed Central Texas coronavirus cases by county

4:35 p.m. – Williamson County reported two more COVID-19 deaths, bringing the county total to 56. The victims were a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s.

3:53 p.m. – Fayette County reported its fourth COVID-19 death, according to the county dashboard.

1:50 p.m. – Gov. Greg Abbott announces that the U.S. Department of Defense has activated more U.S. Army Urban Augmentation Medical Task Forces (UAMTF) to help in the state's efforts to combat COVID-19. At the governor's request, one UAMTF arrived in San Antonio on July 6, an additional task force arrived in Texas to support the Houston region today, and four UAMTFs, along with a U.S. Navy Acute Care Team and four U.S. Navy Rapid Rural Response teams, will be deployed to additional locations across Texas as identified by ongoing assessments. These teams consist of medical and support professionals, which are being deployed to support medical needs in hospitals throughout the state.

"Our ongoing partnership with the federal government is crucial to meeting the medical needs of Texans as we combat COVID-19 in our communities," said Gov. Abbott. "Texas is grateful to the U.S. Department of Defense as well as President Trump and Vice President Pence for providing these additional resources and for working alongside our communities to keep Texans safe and mitigate the spread of this virus."

12 p.m. – The location of the free walk-up testing in San Marcos has moved from San Marcos High School to the San Marcos Toyota Rattler Stadium at the intersection of SH 123 and Monterrey Oak. The move was made because there were already activities at the high school gymnasium and cafeteria that were difficult to redirect.

Participants planning on getting tested must not eat or drink anything 30 minutes prior to testing. The test uses an oral swab. 

Drivers should be prepared to park and exit their vehicles for testing. Lines could be long, so participants are also encouraged to bring water and umbrellas to block the sun.

Testing is available for anyone ages five and up. No preregistration is required. Testing is offered daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through July 16.

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MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: 

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