Nirenberg: ‘Stay the course’ on virus

Cases still dropping, but mayor warns the pandemic not over yet

The coronavirus situation in San Antonio continued to improve Sunday as officials reported 318 new cases, no new deaths and fewer people hospitalized.

Those figures have been declining steadily in Bexar County since peaking in January, but local officials have warned that the deadly virus is still spreading and that San Antonio has not gotten past the pandemic just yet.

“For the most part, our numbers continue to move in the right direction, but that doesn't mean COVID-19 is behind us,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a statement Sunday. “The threat remains real and widespread.”

“Wear a mask, use social distancing and stay the course,” Nirenberg added. “That is the fastest way to put the pandemic behind us.”

Bexar County hospitals are treating 447 people with COVID-19, eight fewer than on Saturday and the fewest since Nov. 20.

But the number of patients with COVID-19 requiring intensive care rose to 195 from 186 Saturday, and the number of patients needing a ventilator to breathe jumped to 111, two more than on Saturday. It was the second day in a row that both those figures increased after steady declines.

Officials also reported 491 backlogged cases from more than two weeks ago and added 150 deaths only recently confirmed to have been caused by COVID-19. Those deaths occurred between Dec. 2 and Feb. 10.

Since the pandemic began, 196,528 San Antonians have tested positive for the coronavirus and 2,670 have died of COVID-19.

Bexar County is expected to receive nearly 35,000 vaccine

doses this week, according to the Department of State Health Services, and San Antonio announced Sunday it would add 10,000 first-dose vaccination appointment slots at the Alamodome. They were filled within minutes.

Residents can sign up to receive a text message when more vaccination appointments become available by texting “VACCINE” or “VACUNA” to 55000.

Additional information about COVID-19, testing, vaccines and more is available on San Antonio’s coronavirus website, www.covid19.sanantonio.gov.