Coronavirus updates in Central Texas: Tuesday stat tracker

AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer being updated. Click here for Wednesday'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 daily live blog.

COVID-19 numbers:

• Texas: 
  • More than 3.7 million cases have been reported in the state, and more than 74,300 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
• Central Texas counties: 
  • Austin-Travis County: The seven-day moving average for new hospital admissions is 36, and an average of 203 people are hospitalized. The seven-day moving average for new cases is 865. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 128,434 cases have been reported and at least 1,216 people have died.
  • Hays County: There are currently 1,510 active cases, and 20 people are currently hospitalized (16, or 80%, unvaccinated). Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 32,239 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 413 people have died. 
  • Williamson County: There are 156 new cases of coronavirus in Williamson County. Eighteen percent of hospital beds are available, and 8% of ICU beds are available. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 70,982 cases have been reported and at least 751 people have died.

For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.

Updates:

9 p.m. – Tuesday, Dec. 28, marks the first anniversary of Austin Public Health (APH) administering its first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the Austin-Travis County community.

Since then, APH’s vaccination campaign has accomplished the following:

• 374,000+ vaccine doses administered at APH locations
• 11,706 of those doses were administered through pop-up locations
• 17,219 through APH mobile strike team efforts
• 3,379 pediatric doses administered since Nov. 3, 2021 

Austin-Travis County reached a 70% first-dose vaccination rate among the 12+ eligible population on July 4, 2021. The first-dose vaccination rate among the currently eligible 5+ population is 80%

Austin-Travis County reached a 70% fully vaccinated among the 12+ eligible population on Sept. 20, 2021. The fully vaccinated rate among the currently eligible 5+ population is 70%

5:30 p.m. – Two staff members at the Giddings State School have tested positive for COVID-19, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) said on Tuesday. At this time, TJJD has 76 active cases across its facilities (39 youth and 37 staff).

4:30 p.m. – Hays County reported two deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday – a Buda man in his 50s and a San Marcos woman in her 70s. Health officials also reported 1,229 new confirmed COVID-19 cases along with 19 new hospitalizations and 11 new hospital discharges. There are 185 additional people considered recovered.

2:25 p.m. – Point of Care Health Services said it did not receive its shipment of COVID-19 tests and vaccines and had to cancel Tuesday's appointments. It will be back up and running on Wednesday at the Mesa Drive location in northwest Austin from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

TEXAS

• Cases
  • 10,800 new cases reported today
    • New 7-day average for new daily cases: 11,456
      • Highest 7-day average number since Sept. 21
      • Up 81% from one week ago
      • Up 525% from one month ago
    • Positivity rate is at 22.3% for PCR tests, 11.29% for antigen tests
• Hospitalizations
  • 4,431 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals right now
    • Highest number since Oct. 22
      • Hospitalization rate up 40% from one week ago
      • Up 61% from one month ago
    • There are 140 pediatric COVID hospitalizations reported statewide
      • That's the highest number we've seen since Oct. 10
• Deaths
  • 68 new fatalities reported today
  • 74,330 COVID deaths in Texas since the start of the pandemic

LOCAL

• Cases
  • 815 new cases confirmed in the Austin-metro (Bastrop, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties) today
    • New 7-day average for new daily cases in the Austin-metro area: 1,106
      • Highest 7-day average since Sept. 14
        • Up 143% from one week ago
        • Up 685% from one month ago
• Hospitalizations
  • New APH 7-day average for hospitalizations: 36
    • Up 138% from one week ago
    • Up 177% from one month ago
  • COVID patients take up 6.43% of hospital beds in Trauma Service Area O
    • Only 3 pediatric ICU COVID patients in the Austin Area

OTHER COVID-19 HEADLINES:

• Yes, surgical masks offer better protection against COVID-19 than cloth masks
• CDC recommends shorter COVID isolation for asymptomatic patients
• Here are the most common omicron symptoms being reported
• Texas exhausts supply of monoclonal antibody treatment as omicron cases surge
• LIST: Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Austin after returning from holidays