Austin and Travis County health officials updated the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases to 41 on March 19.
The previous number of 23 confirmed cases was reported early March 18.
Update: March 19, 4:01 p.m.
Travis County has postponed May 2 elections following a Governor Greg Abbott's proclamation that elections scheduled for that day could be postponed to Nov. 3.
The Travis County Clerk's Office announced in a March 19 press release that it would not conduct a May 2 election "for any political subdivision," and recommended other other political subdivisions to postpone their elections until Nov. 3 as well.
Update: March 18, 7:31 p.m.
The University of Texas announced the first UT student to test positive for the coronavirus on March 18, and that School of Undergraduate Studies Dean Brent Iverson tested positive.
"Unfortunately, we expect that many more cases will be detected during the coming days and weeks," UT President Gregory Fenves wrote in a letter to the community.
Update: March 18, 2:28 p.m.
There are 23 total cases of the coronavirus within Austin and Travis County, according to data updated by health officials at 11 a.m. on March 18. Austin Public Health has developed a five-phase response plan. The final phase of the plan is enacted when there is sustained person-to-person spread in the community. While APH says it does not have confirmation of local community spread, it said "we should act as if we have knowledge that we are in Phase 5."
Update: March 18, 12:15 p.m.
A physician affiliated with St. David’s HealthCare has been confirmed with a presumptive positive case of coronavirus, according to a March 18 news release from the health care system.
St. David’s in the release stated it is now working to tracy potential exposure to patients and other health care workers based on the current information and timeline of the incident. Patients and providers who may require further observation or testing will be contacted by St. David’s, according to the news release.
In its release, St. David’s said the exposure did not happen as a result of a breach of protocol across its health care system.
Update: March 17, 8 p.m.
According to numbers posted on the city of Austin's website, Austin Public Health officials have confirmed 17 cases of coronavirus as of March 17. That number is up from 10 on March 16 and three on March 15. The first two cases in Travis County were announced the morning of March 13.
In the days since that announcement, officials have taken increasingly restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus, canceling events, closing schools, and, on March 17, announcing a prohibition on events with 10 or more people that coincided with the closure of all restaurant dine-in areas.
Update: March 17, 8 p.m.
Travis County will postpone all scheduled nonessential court proceedings to a date after May 8, according to an updated standing order from all five Travis County justices of the peace issued March 17. Postponed proceedings include eviction hearings and misdemeanor traffic citations. County judges are suspending active warrants for misdemeanor offenses until after May 8 as well. Among the essential proceedings not postponed, according to the order are “any proceedings necessary to enforce a governmental entity's response to a COVID-19 declaration of state of disaster.”
