AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer being updated. Click here for Thursday'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 5.2 million cases have been reported in the state, and around 78,300 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 94, and an average of 606 people are hospitalized. The community transmission rate is 678.3 (high) and the positivity rate is 25.9%. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 180,152 cases have been reported and at least 1,276 people have died.
- Hays County: There are currently 7,246 active cases, and 36 people are currently hospitalized. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 48,138 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 452 people have died.
- Williamson County: There are 389 new cases of coronavirus in Williamson County. Seven percent of hospital beds are available, and 4% of ICU beds are available. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 104,998 cases have been reported and at least 804 people have died.
For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.
GRAPHS: COVID-19 data Feb. 1, 2022
Updates:
5:15 p.m. – Travis County reported three more deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday along with 10,591 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 180,152 cases and 1,276 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 172,075 people have recovered from the virus.
Travis County currently has 581 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 143 in the ICU and 68 on ventilators.
5:10 p.m. – One employee at the Giddings State School tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday morning, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department said. At this time, TJJD has 62 active cases across its facilities (35 staff and 27 youth).
3 p.m. – Gov. Greg Abbott announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is providing more than $326 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for the month of February. The allotments are expected to help more than 1.6 million Texas households.
HHSC received federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend the maximum, allowable amount of SNAP benefits to recipients based on family size, and all SNAP households will receive a minimum of $95 in emergency allotments. This additional emergency allotment should appear in recipients’ accounts by Feb. 28.
The emergency February allotments are in addition to the more than $5.8 billion in benefits previously provided to Texans since April 2020.
Administered by HHSC, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to eligible low-income families and individuals in Texas. Texans in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, at YourTexasBenefits.com or use the Your Texas Benefits mobile app to manage their benefits.
11:20 a.m. – Curative announced the following new COVID-19 testing sites in the Austin area:
- Huston-Tillotson University - Chalmers Parking Lot
- 1619 E. 9th St. Austin, Texas, 78702
- Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Test type: PCR
- Opens on Feb. 3
- Running Brushy Middle School
- 2303 N. Lakeline Blvd. Cedar Park, Texas, 78613
- Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Test type: PCR
- Opens on Feb. 3
- Hutto High School
- 101 FM 685, Hutto, Texas, 78634
- Hours: Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Test type: PCR
- Opens on Feb. 2
Curative's COVID-19 testing is at no out-of-pocket costs to patients. Walk-up testing is available and appointments can be made ahead of time by visiting curative.com, as well.
OTHER COVID-19 HEADLINES:
- Travis County commissioners vote to extend vaccine incentive program for employees
- Yes, Spikevax and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are the same
- Pfizer asks FDA to allow low-dose COVID-19 shots for kids under 5
- Yes, there are ways to determine if a KN95 or N95 mask is counterfeit
- Important context left out of COVID-19 natural immunity claims after CDC study release