The outbreak in Texas

Thisweek’s COVID-19 digest

Texas set new records for COVID-19 cases during Thanksgiving week as hospitalizations continued to climb statewide, reaching highs not seen since the pandemic’s peak here this summer.

Nationally, the virus continues to spread aggressively, with daily case counts reaching a high of 175,810.

Texas recorded 72,202 cases and 920 deaths in the past week. This is the 7th highest week-over-week increase in cases since the start of the pandemic. In terms of deaths, it was the 31st highest week-over-week increase. These numbers are likely higher but a number of counties did not report over the Thanksgiving holiday week.

Some experts worried about the spike in advance of this week’s holiday gatherings, which are expected to give the virus opportunities to spread.

Hospitalizations in Texas this week reached 8,518— an increase of more than 350 from last Friday— and remain as high as in early August. Locally, Texas Medical Center officials reported having plenty of available beds, although other parts of the state were overwhelmed.

Cases continued to rise in the Panhandle and in many major cities. Only the El Paso, San Antonio, and Victoria areas saw decreases in the percentage of patients with COVID in local hospitals.

The state’s overall positive test rate, a key metric for gauging transmission of the virus, dropped to 10.3%, offering a glimmer of good news for Texas

For more data on the pandemic in Texas, visit ExpressNews.com/covidtracking.