COVID update

Texas Medical Center issued a COVID-19 Data Update on Monday, Aug. 9, that reveals upwards of 2,000 persons a day are seeking out vaccine administration at the center’s facilities. The daily average for spread of COVID-19 decreased from the week prior, but, all told, the hospital reports, the average COVID-19 testing positivity rate was 13.6%

“An increase of 34.0% compared to the previous week’s daily average of 3,318 new cases per day,” has resulted in a daily average of 4,445 COVID-19 positive cases for the Greater Houston Area, TMC reports, as it documents approximately 376 new COVID-19 patients/day in TMC hospital institutions.

In the Southeast Texas region, hospitals are likewise reporting an uptick in admission, with SETRAC reporting to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) that local hospitals are posting a 43% COVID census in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds as of Aug. 9, all but 6 of the area's 227 operational beds filled. As of Aug. 8, Southeast Texas hospitals reported 93 patients in ICU due to COVID, a census that has not been seen since Jan. 6. General admission COVID patients, 284, being treated in general hospital and isolation rooms are as numerous, the DSHS report shows, to rival highs last seen in July 2020.