Bexar’s virus cases jump with backlog
But new infections similar to recent days’
The city reported a backlog of 2,473 COVID-19 cases Sunday, bringing Bexar County’s total since the start of the pandemic to 53,341, according to the Metropolitan Health District’s daily coronavirus update
“These results are from various labs and for various date ranges and are the result of backlogged electronic lab reporting that is affecting case counts all across the state,” city spokeswoman Laura Mayes said.
The number of new cases reported Sunday continued to remain similar to previous days, with 108 new cases, down from 173 reported Saturday.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg urged residents to continue wearing their masks and maintaining physical distancing to ensure San Antonio’s case numbers stay low.
“It’s a long road to a cure or vaccine,” Nirenberg said. “Let’s keep it up, San Antonio.”
Sunday saw one new death reported, and Metro Health also verified 35
deaths that occurred earlier this summer.
Bexar County’s death toll now stands at 1,061 since the start of the pandemic — still significantly lower than the state’s count of 1,244. The 35 deaths verified by Metro Health spanned from July 8 to Sept. 2.
Metro Health has said it’s working to verify that all the deaths included in the state’s count are people who died from COVID-19 and were residents of Bexar County.
The health department has said the state may overestimate the county’s death count because death certificates sometimes can include an address for where the person died, not the county where they lived. Other times, COVID-19 may be listed as the cause of death, even if a person wasn’t tested for the disease.
As of Sunday, Metro
“Today’s uptick in hospitalizations, though slight, underscores the need for all of us to remain vigilant. COVID-19 didn’t go away just because things have reopened.”
Mayor Ron Nirenberg
Health still was investigating 183 deaths that are counted by the state.
The number of patients in San Antonio-area hospitals and in intensive care units ticked up slightly, although it appears the city largely avoided a major spike in infections after Labor Day.
On Sunday, there were 225 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized, up 11 from the day before. Of those hospitalized, 92 were in ICUs, and 45 needed ventilators to breathe — up three and two from the day before, respectively.
“Today’s uptick in hospitalizations, though slight, underscores the need for all of us to remain vigilant,” Nirenberg said. “COVID-19 didn’t go away just because things have reopened.”
Even as the virus’ grip is easing slightly, San Antonians who have symptoms of COVID-19 and need a free test still can find them at multiple locations across the city. Cuellar Community Center at 5626 San Fernando St. and Ramirez Community Center at 1011 Gillette Blvd. are serving as walk-up locations and are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day, according to the city’s website. No appointment is necessary.
The city also still is providing free testing at the Freeman Coliseum, although residents need to make an appointment beforehand.