Austin Public Health reported 603 new coronavirus cases July 21, a return to high daily case counts after a brief dip. The daily number of new hospitalizations in the Austin metropolitan area continues on a slight decline, however, with 57 new admissions of COVID-19 patients.

APH's July 21 daily update on the virus follows Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott's weekly briefing to the Travis County Commissioners Court, in which he said hospitals were still feeling strain despite slightly improved intake statistics.

"We still have lots of very sick people," Escott said. "We have health care staff who are working very hard and getting fatigued and need some assistance."

Some 459 coronavirus patients are currently hospitalized in the Austin area, with 153 in intensive care units and 106 on ventilators.

Overall, Travis County has reported 18,394 COVID-19 cases over the course of the pandemic and 15,005 estimated recoveries. In the past day, APH reported nine additional coronavirus-related deaths for a total of 218.