About two thirds of those cases are currently active, according to health department data. The county’s coronavirus death total is now 68.
There were 3,565 total cases in the county at the start of July; as such, the total reaching 7,663 represents a 115% increase over the course of the month. An average of 145 cases a day have been reported the week of July 20.
The average COVID-19 positivity rate in the county has fluctuated between 9% and 12% during July, per health department data. Galveston, League City and Texas City all have more than 1,300 confirmed cases as of July 22.
The county also began displaying antibody test results on the database in mid-June. Just over 3,500 people have received the test thus far, with all but 160 of those people testing negative.
Outbreaks at six nursing homes in Friendswood, League City and Texas City have infected a collective 254 people, per health department data. The nursing home outbreaks account for about 8% of the cases in League City and Texas City and less than 3% of the total cases in Friendswood.
Below are a few other state and regional coronavirus-related news stories for Bay Area residents to know for the week of July 20.
5 p.m. July 22: Despite gains made in early June, the vice president of research for the Greater Houston Partnership said the Greater Houston area still has more than 217,000 jobs to recoup for the economy to return to its pre-pandemic state, a process that could take anywhere from two to five years. For more coverage, click here.
2:45 p.m. July 22: Seth Chandler, a constitutional law expert and a professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center, spoke with Community Impact Newspaper on July 21 about these orders and their legality in the midst of a public health crisis. Click here to read the full interview.
2:30 p.m. July 22: With the state of Texas facing a projected budget shortfall of $4.58 billion, a new group has emerged calling for more public-private partnerships to keep crucial mobility projects from being curtailed. The group, Keep Texas Moving, was announced at a July 20 virtual press conference by the Texas Association of Business, an Austin-based advocacy group that pushes for pro-business policies at the state level. For more coverage, click here.
2:30 p.m. July 22: The Bay Area offers numerous opportunities for residents to get out of the house, but some are safer than others, even while following proper health and safety guidelines. For one public health expert’s ranking of five common summertime activities, click here.
10 p.m. July 21: Public health officials in Harris County confirmed 1,385 new cases of COVID-19 on July 21, including 758 new cases in the city of Houston and 627 new cases in Harris County outside of the city. For further breakdowns of Harris County coronavirus data, click here.
