Galveston County has reported an additional 579 coronavirus cases since July 11, bringing the total case count to 6,452 on July 15, according to the county health department database.

More than 4,400 of the cases—about 68%—are currently active, per health department data. Four additional deaths were reported July 14, bringing the total to 58. No new deaths were reported July 15.

There were 3,565 total cases in the county at the start of July, marking an 81% increase over the course of the month. An average of about 210 cases a day have been reported in July; no more than 180 cases a day have been reported during the week of July 13.

The county also began displaying antibody test results on the database in mid-June. Nearly 3,200 people have received the testing thus far, with all but 114 of those people testing negative. Local infectious disease experts said during a panel discussion July 14 that there is no one effective antibody test, given how many types of antibodies the human body can make when infected with a virus.

Outbreaks at six nursing homes in Friendswood, League City and Texas City have infected a collective 252 people, per health department data. The nursing home outbreaks account for about 9% of the cases in both League City and Texas City and less than 3% of the total cases in Friendswood.



In other federal, state and regional coronavirus-related news for Bay Area residents to know for the week of July 13:

4:35 p.m. July 15: Kroger, Walmart and Sam’s Club will now require shoppers to wear face coverings. For more coverage, click here.

2:45 p.m. July 15: After a lengthy debate July 14, League City City Council voted 6-2 to deny a request to allocate some of the city's CARES Act funding to Galveston County. For more coverage, click here.

2:30 p.m. July 15: Texas school districts may be able to continue online learning for longer than the three-week period the Texas Education Agency provided in its guidelines, according to Gov. Greg Abbott. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will announce the expanded online learning option in the coming days, Abbott said in a recent interview with KTRK Houston. For more coverage, click here.

4 p.m. July 14: The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program will end the week of July 25, according to a Texas Workforce Commission news release. The program provided an additional $600 per week, from federal funds, to claimants who had lost work as a result of the coronavirus pandemic as part of the Coronavirus, Aid Relief and Economic Security Act. For more coverage, click here.

10 a.m. July 14: Dr. Steven H. Kelder recently answered several questions for Community Impact Newspaper regarding COVID-19; trends in cases statewide; and important considerations for parents, students and educators as the 2020-21 school year approaches. Click here to read the Q&A.

3:30 p.m. July 13: Gov. Greg Abbott announced the U.S. Department of Defense would provide more resources to Texas to combat the rise of COVID-19. For more coverage, click here.