Coronavirus updates in Central Texas: Austin Public Health closing testing sites Jan. 20 due to cold weather

AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer being updated.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 4.7 million cases have been reported in the state, and around 76,100 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 129, and an average of 636 people are hospitalized. The community transmission rate is 1,896 and the positivity rate is 31.1%. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 148,820 cases have been reported and at least 1,227 people have died.
  • Hays County: There are currently 6,284 active cases, and 27 people are currently hospitalized. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 41,685 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 427 people have died. 
  • Williamson County: There are 1,233 new cases of coronavirus in Williamson County. Fifteen percent of hospital beds are available, and 5% of ICU beds are available. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 92,696 cases have been reported and at least 774 people have died.

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

Updates:

5:15 p.m. – Two youth at Giddings State School tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday morning, the Texas Department of Juvenile Justice said. At this time, TJJD has 179 active cases across its facilities (97 youth and 82 staff).

5:05 p.m. – Hays County reported 577 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday along with five new hospitalizations and 11 new hospital discharges. There are 183 additional people considered recovered, Hays County health officials said.

5 p.m. – Travis County reported 1,047 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and no new deaths, bringing the total to 148,820 cases and 1,227 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 143,318 people have recovered from the virus.

Travis County currently has 728 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 152 in the ICU and 76 on ventilators.

3:30 p.m. – The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) updated its COVID-19 data for Jan. 19: 

TEXAS

• 47,996 new cases
  • 7-day average: 50,519 (four straight days over 50,000)
    • Down 4% day-to-day
    • Up 15% from a week ago
    • Up 837% from a month ago
• 154 new deaths
  • 76,277 total to date
• 12,905 COVID-19 patients in the hospital
  • Up 4.5% day-to-day (Up 561 day-to-day)
  • Up 11.5% from a week ago
  • Up 318% from a month ago
• 33.70% positivity rate

2:35 p.m. – Austin Public Health will close its COVID-19 testing sites on Thursday, Jan. 20 due to anticipated winter weather.

APH said the Dove Springs Recreation Center and Travis County Expo Center will reopen Jan. 21 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

6:40 a.m. – The City of Austin will be giving out masks for free to small businesses. In total, the City is expecting to give out 96,000 masks.

Business owners and their staff can drive through one of two spots from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to pick up masks for staff and customers. The locations are the City of Austin African-American Cultural & Heritage Facility on East Eleventh Street and the City of Austin Economic Development Department offices on East Ben White Boulevard.

OTHER COVID-19 HEADLINES:

• Biden administration begins taking orders for free COVID tests
• Here's how to get free N95 masks from the government, starting next week
• How you can order 4 free COVID tests from the government
• LIST: Schools canceling classes amid omicron surge
• No, athletes don’t have to be vaccinated to participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics