City sees an uptick in COVID numbers

Mayor Ron Nirenberg reminded San Antonio residents Sunday to continue engaging in safe practices to slow the spread of the coronavirus as city officials reported an uptick in new cases.

The 317 newly reported cases are the most reported in one day since March 11 and more than two times the number of cases reported Saturday.

The rolling seven-day average of new cases now stands at 184, up from 166 on Saturday. That figure was 368 one month ago and 1,459 two months ago.

“Maintaining discipline is the best way to end this pandemic,” Nirenberg said in a statement. “We have to play it safe while the vaccination process continues. Wear a mask, maintain social distance and wash your hands frequently.”

There were no new deaths reported Sunday, but officials added 67 deaths recently confirmed to have been caused by COVID-19, as well as 1,259 backlogged cases from more than two weeks ago. The deaths occurred between July 29 and March 11.

Since the pandemic arrived in the region about a year ago, 205,099 San Antonians have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 3,144 have died of COVID-19.

San Antonio’s hospitals were treating 182 patients with COVID-19 on Sunday, and 14 of those patients were admitted in the past 24 hours. One month ago, there were nearly 500 people hospitalized with COVID-19 here. That figure peaked at 1,520 in mid-january.

There were 74 patients with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit as of Sunday, and 37 patients needed a ventilator to breathe.

Vaccines

The coronavirus vaccines are the most effective weapon against serious illness from the virus, and on Monday, millions more people across Texas will become eligible to receive it, as appointments will be made available to anyone 16 and older.

But the expanded eligibility means demand for the vaccine

will increase even as supply has remained limited.

In Bexar County, about 461,000 people had been partially vaccinated

by Sunday.

Another 263,600 people had been fully vaccinated, Texas Department of State Health Services data shows.

Bexar County is expected to receive more than 50,000 vaccine doses this week. Overall, communities

across Texas will get more than 1.5 million doses this week, according to DSHS.

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

The Express-news vaccine FAQ page has detailed information — updated daily — about vaccination locations, vaccine supplies and how to make appointments.