New coronavirus cases jumped in Texas in the week ending Sunday, rising 15.5% as 24,458 cases were reported. The previous week had 21,172 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Texas ranked 37th among the states with the fastest spread of the coronavirus per person, according to a USA TODAY Network analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University. Over the past week, coronavirus cases in the United States have increased by 21.4% compared to the previous week, with 605,127 cases reported. With 8.71% of the nation’s population, Texas had 4.04% of the nation’s cases last week. Across the country, 47 states had more cases in the past week than the previous week.
Runnels County has reported three cases and no deaths in the past week. A week earlier, it had reported two cases and no deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 2,393 cases and 66 deaths.
In Texas, the worst weekly outbreaks per person occurred in Loving County with 1,183 cases per 100,000 per week; Walker County with 933; and Karnes County with 564. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission are starting at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Harris County added the most new cases overall, with 4,971 cases; Bexar County, with 2,118 cases; and Travis County, with 2,025. Weekly case counts increased in 129 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the previous week’s pace occurred in Harris, Walker and Bexar counties.
>> Find out how your community fared with recent coronavirus cases
Texas ranked 26th among states in the proportion of people receiving at least one vaccine, with 73.2% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 77.7%, according to a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses given a few weeks apart.
In the week ending Wednesday, Texas said it administered 205,625 additional vaccine doses, including 47,384 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 642,150 vaccine doses, including 75,262 first doses. In total, Texas reported administering 46,834,298 total doses.
Across Texas, cases fell in 81 counties, with the best declines in Webb County, with 598 cases from 1,450 a week earlier; in Travis County, with 2,025 of 2,468 cases; and in Fort Bend County, with 1,319 of 1,719 cases.
In Texas, 76 people were reported dead from COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. The previous week, 66 people had been killed.
A total of 6,872,827 people in Texas have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 88,252 people have died from the disease, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. In the United States, 82,468,606 people have tested positive and 999,602 people have died.
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Increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions in Texas
USA TODAY analyzed data from federal hospitals as of Sunday, May 15.
Probable COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 2,980
- The week before: 2,717
- Four weeks ago: 3,242
Probable COVID patients admitted to the country:
- Last week: 49,753
- The week before: 44,912
- Four weeks ago: 37,527
Hospitals in 45 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 29 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive care beds. Hospitals in 41 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the past week than a week earlier, according to USA TODAY analysis of US Health and Human Services data.
The USA TODAY Network posts localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have any questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.
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