Galveston County has reported an additional 179 coronavirus cases since Aug. 17, bringing the total case count to 10,212 on Aug. 19.
Nearly 3,800 of the cases—about 37%—are currently active, according to health department data. No new deaths have been reported since Aug. 10, and more than 300 recoveries were reported Aug. 19.
There were 8,825 total cases in the county at the start of August, marking a 15.72% increase over the course of the month. The average COVID-19 positivity rate in the county has remained at 8% since the week of Aug. 2, per health department data.
Galveston and League City have more than 2,000 confirmed cases as of Aug. 19. The case count in Texas City is nearing 1,700, and Friendswood has a total of 605 COVID-19 cases.
The county also began displaying antibody test results on the database in mid-June. More than 4,200 people have received the testing thus far, with all but 321 of those people testing negative.
Outbreaks at six nursing homes in Friendswood, League City and Texas City have infected a collective 257 people, per health department data. The nursing home outbreaks account for about 6% of the cases in both League City and Texas City and less than 2% of the total cases in Friendswood.
In other state and regional coronavirus-related news for Bay Area residents to know for the week of Aug. 17:
Aug. 19: In an Aug. 17 letter to Harris County Public Health’s executive director, 10 area superintendents expressed their disagreement with recently released recommendations from the department. Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Greg Smith was one of them. For more coverage, click here.
Aug. 18: Midweek data from Harris County Public Health shows the county is on track to see a drop in weekly new case totals. COVID-19 hospitalizations in the county’s intensive care units are also down from one week ago. For further data breakdowns, click here.
Aug. 17: Small-business owners in Houston impacted by the coronavirus pandemic can apply for up to $50,000 in relief grants from Aug. 19-Sept. 4. For more information on the CARES Act-funded program, click here.
Aug. 17: The first official day of school in Clear Creek ISD is next week, with all students starting remotely Aug. 24. Families not yet comfortable with brick-and-mortar education can send their children to school online through the district’s new Clear Connections platform. For more about online learning in CCISD during the 2020-21 school year, click here.
