The outbreak in Texas

After weeks of increasing hospitalizations, Texas is finally moving in the right direction.

Hospitalizations are the lowest they’ve been since Dec. 29, and now only 13 of the state’s 22 Trauma Service Areas are reporting that COVID-19 hospitalizations make up more than 15 percent of total hospital capacity, the threshold that signifies “high hospitalizations.” This is down from 18 a week ago.

In addition to lower hospitalizations, new cases and deaths were lower than in recent weeks. The positive test rate also declined to around 15 percent.

The state recorded 83,546 new cases and 1,590 new deaths last week, making it the ninth-highest week for new cases and fifth-highest for new deaths.

Bexar County reported 11,979 new cases in the last week, an increase of about 8 percent.

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine continued, with Texas officials reporting more than 4 million doses distributed so far.

More than 1.7 million people (about 8 percent of Texans age 16 and older) have received a first dose. More than 410,000 Texans are fully vaccinated. In Bexar County, more than 117,000 people, or about 7 percent of the population aged 16 and older, have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Challenges remain in the vaccine rollout, with many Texans finding it hard to book vaccination appointments. Despite receiving the second-highest number of doses in the country, relative to its population, the Lone Star State ranks near the bottom in the country in number of doses received.