The number of coronavirus cases in Galveston County nearly tripled during June, according to the health department’s case count database.
On June 1, the county had a total of 847 confirmed cases. The county passed the 1,000-case mark June 8 and hit 2,000 cases about two weeks later on June 23. The county reported an additional 231 cases June 30, bringing the total to 3,293.
Nearly 900 recoveries have been reported as of June 30. A total of 40 deaths have been reported, with no new deaths since June 11.
The total includes outbreaks at five nursing homes in Friendswood, League City and Texas City that have infected a collective 230 people, per health department data. The outbreaks account for roughly 17% and 19% of the total cases in League City and Texas City, respectively, and about 5% of the total cases in Friendswood.
Galveston County also began reporting antibody test results in mid-June. More than 1,700 people have received the testing thus far, with all but several dozen of those people testing negative.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo elevated the county’s COVID-19 threat level from “significant” to “severe” on the afternoon of June 26, which is the highest threat level possible in the system. For the latest information on how and where to find coronavirus testing locations in Houston, click here.
Here is other regional and state coronavirus-related news for Bay Area residents to know during the week of June 29.
5 p.m. June 30: H-E-B officials confirmed via email June 30 that all stores will require shoppers and employees to wear masks beginning July 1. For more coverage, click here.
2:30 p.m. June 30: Several Houston-area immigration experts said the holders of some temporary, nonimmigrant worker visas—especially those in the H-1B category—often fill specialized positions in energy, medicine, academics, technology and research that cannot be successfully staffed with domestic talent. President Donald Trump on June 22 announced a new suspension of these visas through the end of 2020. For more coverage, click here.
2 p.m. June 30: Texans receiving unemployment benefits will have a little extra time before they have to prove they are actively looking for work to continue receiving state assistance: a news release from the Texas Workforce Commission stated that work search requirements have been paused in light of the rise in coronavirus cases. For more coverage, click here.
11:45 a.m. June 30: Hoping to block Gov. Greg Abbott’s June 26 decision ordering Texas bars to close due to a rise in coronavirus cases, more than 30 bar owners filed a lawsuit challenging Abbott’s emergency order. The suit was filed in Travis County District Court by Jared Woodfill, a Houston-based attorney who has been involved with previous legal efforts opposing Abbott’s pandemic-related shutdowns. For more coverage, click here.
6:30 p.m. June 29: Public health officials with Harris County and the city of Houston confirmed 1,453 new cases of COVID-19 June 29 along with five more deaths attributed to the coronavirus. The total number of cases now stands at 30,729, with 19,955 of those considered active and 10,398 confirmed to have recovered. For more Harris County coronavirus data, click here.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 8 p.m. June 30 to reflect the accurate number of coronavirus deaths. A previous version of the post incorrectly reported a new death, which was due to an inconsistency on the county health website.
