Texas Medical Center: COVID-19 hospitalizations down 19% since Aug. 7

COVID-19 hospitalizations are down 19% from Aug. 7, the Texas Medical Center reported Aug. 14 on its daily data dashboard. New daily hospitalizations are also down.

Hospitals with the medical center reported 1,210 total COVID-19 patients, 281 fewer than seen Aug. 7.

Data collected by the TMC spans hospitals in nine counties in Greater Houston, including Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller.

The TMC admitted 140 new COVID-19 patients Aug. 13, continuing a downward trend since early July.

The number of total occupied intensive care units continues to fluctuate, however, with 1,409 ICU beds in use, slightly more than the previous week and above the 1,330-bed threshold that necessitates additional staffing and beds, as outlined in the medical center’s Phase 2 plan.

The number of COVID-19 patients using ICU beds dropped again, however, with 450 this week, about 13% fewer since Aug. 7, when there were 512.

The TMC saw 177 more deaths directly associated with COVID-19 since Aug. 7, with totals in the hospitals since the pandemic began at 1,814 as of Aug. 14.

The rate of deaths attributed to the coronavirus has slowed, however.

From July 20-27, the TMC saw total deaths increase by 276, and from July 27 to Aug. 3, that increase was 260.