CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Despite fewer patients, Travis County sets record in daily COVID deaths, tallies 1,000 dead over pandemic

Austin American-Statesman - 9/8/2021

On a day when Travis County tallied more than 1,000 deaths for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic and its highest daily COVID-19 death toll, improving hospital data released Wednesday offered some signs of hope.

Austin Public Health reported 23 new deaths on Wednesday, which pushed the pandemic death toll in Travis County to 1,004. But the agency also saw a second day of decreases in the seven-day average of daily hospital admissions for COVID-19, a key indicator used to determine pandemic protocols.

The rolling average of admissions, which Austin Public Health uses to set guidelines to protect the most medically vulnerable in the community, slipped to 57, which is the lowest average since Aug. 1, when it was 58.

More: Austin-area COVID-19 hospital data improve over holiday, but critical care remains strained

The county's highest average for new daily admissions during the pandemic was 94 on Jan. 9, but that number climbed as high as 84 last month on Aug. 11, shortly after the community moved into Stage 5, a level that indicates the highest threat of coronavirus spread. The average needs to get below 50 for Austin Public Health to consider moving the community out of Stage 5.

The county on Wednesday recorded 57 new hospital admissions for COVID-19, for a total number of 549 coronavirus inpatients in local hospitals. Travis County set a pandemic record of 653 patients as recently as Aug. 25.

As many as 205 people were in Austin-area intensive care units for COVID-19. That number hit a pandemic record high of 237 on Aug. 22. The 144 patients on ventilators was a significant improvement over the pandemic record high of 174 set on Aug. 29.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler on Wednesday urged the public to get vaccinated to help free up hospital beds.

The bed shortage "puts everyone's wellbeing on the line — whether you are in critical condition from COVID, a car accident, or some other medical issue," he said in a statement.

"People without vaccines are about 17 times more likely to end up in a hospital than someone vaccinated," Adler said. "This is why the choice not to get vaccinated is not just a choice with personal implications.."

Meanwhile, the Texas Department of State Health Services' 11-county Central Texas trauma region that includes the Austin metro area continued to see a critical shortage in available staffed ICU beds, with two adult beds and four pediatric beds available on Wednesday. The region hit a pandemic low of zero adult ICU beds on Sunday, and zero pediatric ICU beds on Saturday.

But Texas as a whole continues to see a frighteningly low number of ICU beds — with only 312 beds available to serve more than 29 million people — but that number is still above the record low of 303 set just two weeks ago on Aug. 27.

On Wednesday, 13,520 people were hospitalized in Texas with COVID-19, an increase of 21 from the previous day but an improvement after reaching a summer high of 13,932 last month. The pandemic high for Texans hospitalized was 14,218 in January.

Austin Public Health and Travis County reported:

** 2,860 active COVID-19 cases.

** 647 new cases, pushing the pandemic total to 107,897

The positivity rate for COVID-19 tests is 10.1%. Anything above 5% is considered too high and qualifies the area as a COVID-19 hot spot.

Statewide, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported:

** 25,184 new COVID-19 cases.

** 286 new deaths.

But vaccination rates for the state continue to improve. As of Wednesday, 69.36% of Texans 12 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine. About 58.24% of Texans 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

Those younger than 12 are not yet eligible to take the vaccine.

In Travis County, vaccination rates also continue to improve. As of Wednesday, 79.05% of Travis County residents 12 and older have received at least one dose of vaccine. About 68.16% of county residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

©2021 www.statesman.com. Visit statesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.