AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer being updated. Click here for Sunday's blog.
KVUE is keeping you updated with the latest coronavirus and COVID-19 news in the Austin area.
Scroll down for the top headlines and latest updates in KVUE's Jan. 16 live blog.
COVID-19 numbers:
- Texas: More than 1.8 million cases have been reported in the state, and more than 31,400 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Central Texas counties:
- Travis County: At least 60,084 cases have been reported and at least 592 people have died. At least 52,810 people have recovered from the virus.
- Hays County: At least 12,948 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 154 people have died. At least 10,434 people have recovered from the virus.
- Williamson County: At least 26,265 cases have been reported in the county and at least 254 people have died. At least 24,013 people have recovered from the virus.
For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.
GRAPHS: Coronavirus data Jan. 16
Updates:
7:20 p.m. – Austin ISD will be offering mass COVID-19 testing once a week while Austin/Travis County remains in Stage 5. Rapid tests are now available for all Austin ISD students and staff, including those who learn and work in-person and remotely.
January dates and times
- Thursday, Jan. 21 from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
- Friday, Jan. 29 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (district asynchronous day)
Locations (for both days)
- North: Northeast Early College High School (Nelson Field) 7105 Berkman Dr. Austin, TX 78752
- South: Austin ISD Central Office 4000 S. IH-35 Austin, TX 78704
Registration
Participants must register to be guaranteed testing. REGISTER HERE
Items to bring to your testing appointment
- Austin ISD ID or badge
- Completed Consent Form
- QR code from pre-registering online (not required, but strongly encouraged to help decrease wait times): https://register.txrapidtest.org/
5:50 p.m. – Travis County reported 295 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 60,379 cases and 592 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 53,422 people have recovered from the virus.
Travis County currently has 607 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 182 in the ICU and 97 on ventilators.
5:30 p.m. – Texas reported 20,530 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 1,837,552. The seven-day average is at a new record of 18,937 new cases per day over the past week, up 54% from a month ago. There were 381 new COVID-19 deaths statewide on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 31,831.
Texas has 13,929 COVID-19 patients in hospitals statewide, up 45% from a month ago. The state's positivity rate average is at 17.04%.
The Austin area has a record 719 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, with remaining hospital capacity at 14.5%. Austin-area ICUs currently have 233 COVID-19 patients, making up 42% of total capacity.
The Austin metro area (Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties) has had a record average of 1,300 new COVID-19 cases per day over the past week. The area's positivity rate average is at 10.26%. There have been 1,320 COVID-19 deaths in the 12-county KVUE viewing area since the pandemic began.
4:30 p.m. – The state of Texas will receive 333,650 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine next week, as well as 500,000 doses intended as second doses for people already vaccinated.
The vaccine doses will be shipped to 260 providers across Texas, including 79 hub providers focused on large community vaccination.
For the second week in a row, Austin Public Health will receive another 12,000 doses of the vaccine.
The week of Jan. 18 is the sixth week of vaccination against COVID-19 in Texas.
2:35 p.m. – Austin Public Health says it expects to run out of its 12,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine today. A spokesperson told KVUE the agency should find out today or tomorrow how many doses they will get in the next allocation from the State and when those doses will arrive.
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