The COVID-19 effective reproduction rate—a data point meant to gauge whether viral spread is increasing in the community—was below 1 for this first time in 2022 in new data released Jan. 24 by the Texas Medical Center.

Any number above 1 indicates viral spread is increasing, according to the TMC. The rate was 0.87 in the Jan. 24 update.

Meanwhile, the daily average for new COVID-19 cases dropped to 9,004 for the week running from Jan. 17-23, according to the Texas Medical Center, down from 13,395 average new cases per day between Jan. 10-16.

Daily new cases are still above the averages reported throughout December; an average of 5,390 new cases were confirmed per day between Dec. 20-26.

The Texas Medical Center also reported a slight decrease in the average number of patients admitted to hospitals in the center with COVID-19, at 400 people per day. Again, these numbers are still above last month’s average, which was 201 new patients hospitalized per day with the virus.

The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Harris County, as of Jan. 22, is 10,009, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Two COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the week of Jan. 17 in Harris County.

Due to the still large number of daily cases, the University of St. Thomas will open a coronavirus PCR testing and Moderna/Pfizer vaccination site on Jan. 25 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston, according to a press release from the school.