Texas COVID-19 hospital admissions are down slightly, remain high

DALLAS – Hospital admissions for the Texas coronavirus fell slightly on Saturday, but remained close to their record high as health officials said there were about 600 intensive care beds available in the state with nearly 29 million people.

Texas reported 12,319 COVID-19 patients in hospitals Saturday, ending five consecutive days of record-breaking hospital admissions. But even with the decline of more than 160 patients as of Friday, the virus continued to put pressure on medical resources.

Intensive care units in various parts of Texas were full or nearly full, with 626 ICU beds available statewide on Saturday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The department reported 96 new fatalities, as well as 3,995 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 487 probable cases. The true number of cases is believed to be much higher because many people have not been tested and some who become ill show no symptoms.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, almost one in five coronavirus tests in Texas has come back positive in the past seven days.

In most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that resolve within weeks. But for others, especially older adults and those with pre-existing health conditions, the virus can cause serious illness and be fatal.