Test hours for virus to expand for some
Beginning Tuesday, the city will expand the hours of testing asymptomatic people for the coronavirus at its free testing sites.
No appointments are required because the tests will be given on a first come, first served basis.
Free testing for those without symptoms will be done from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at two sites: Cuellar Community Center at 5626 San Fernando St. and Ramirez Community Center at 1011 Gillette Blvd. The test will be a less invasive nasal swab that is painless.
The expanded testing effort is a partnership between the city and the nonprofit Community Labs.
On Friday, city and county officials reported 191 new coronavirus cases and no new deaths. The number of people testing positive locally has inched up slightly from typical daily numbers in September.
The city’s seven-day moving average of new cases now stands at 156, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.
He reminded the public of the financial assistance programs being offered by the city and county. Those needing help can visit COVID19.sanantonio.gov for more information.
“We know many of you are hurting,” Nirenberg said. “We do have emergency housing assistance for those who need help paying rent or mortgage. ... We know there are many people who have been displaced by work. Jobs have been lost and incomes have been displaced, and we want to help you.”
Those needing job training for work that is now available can call the San Antonio Workforce Recovery Program at 210-224-HELP. Qualified participants are eligible to receive stipends for the time they spend in approved job training programs.
Since March, when the pandemic began, 59,514 San Antonio or Bexar County residents have tested positive for the virus. So far, 1,171 residents have died. An additional 168 deaths are still being investigated by the Metropolitan Health District.
On Friday, 193 patients with COVID-19 were in San Antonio hospitals, including 27 admitted in the past 24 hours. Among those hospitalized, 84 patients were in inten
sive care units, while 37 were on ventilators to help them breathe.
Some12 percent of staffed patient beds remain available at San Antonio hospitals, while 73 percent of ventilators in stock are ready for use.
Bexar County Precinct 2 Commissioner Justin Rodriguez lauded local health care workers for their efforts throughout the pandemic. “When we look at how the hospitalizations have come down the past few months from over 1,200 in July to now below 200 — kudos and a tip of the hat to those that are sacrificing and working long hours helping folks recover from COVID-19,” Rodriguez said.
In Comal County, where New Braunfels is the county seat, officials reported 16 new coronavirus cases and four more deaths related to the virus Friday.
Two of those deaths occurred this week. A Comal County man in his 60s died in a New Braunfels hospital Wednesday, while a Comal County man in his 80s died in a New Braunfels hospital Thursday.
During the seven-month course of the pandemic, 3,550 Comal County residents have tested positive for the virus and 120 have died. So far, about 94 percent of those testing positive — 3,336 people — have recovered. As of Friday, 94 Comal County residents still had active cases of the virus.
The seven-day positivity rate for those tested in Comal County is 7.08 percent.
Across Texas as a whole, more than 3,600 new cases were reported Friday, along with nearly 100 new deaths related to the virus. Nearly 800,000 Texans have tested positive during the past seven months, while more than 16,000 have died.
Almost 700,000 Texans have recovered so far, according to the state health department. That’s about 89 percent of all those who have tested positive. More than 72,000 Texans still had active cases of the virus Friday.
Bexar County is ranked fourth among Texas counties reporting the most cases throughout the pandemic, coming in behind Harris, Dallas and Tarrant counties, respectively.
Bexar County is ranked third among Texas counties experiencing the most fatalities related to the coronavirus, after Harris and Hidalgo counties.