Correction: This story was updated at 10:22 p.m. June 24 to show that the total number of confirmed cases was 1,856 on June 22.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Katy area since the beginning of the pandemic has grown to 1,856, according to data available at 6:30 p.m. June 22.
Data available on the counties’ dashboards on the evening of June 21 showed a total of 1,758 cases. This is a day-over-day increase of 97. However, Fort Bend County does not publish case count updates on the ZIP code level on weekends.
The data reflects seven ZIP codes in the Katy area from Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties’ respective COVID-19 information dashboards.
Only Harris County is providing full data on recoveries, deaths and active cases at the ZIP code level. Waller County is providing partial data, and Fort Bend County is only providing confirmed COVID-19 cases at the ZIP code level.
The total number of tests administered in each ZIP code is not immediately available, but the Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting the total number of tests administered at the county level. See below for each county's total testing numbers.
The statewide testing positivity rate is nearly 9%—up from about 4.5% in late May, Gov. Greg Abbott said during a June 22 press conference. Part of the state’s strategy to slow this continued spread includes ramping up testing efforts in regions considered “hot spots.”
Additionally, during the last half of May, there were about 1,500 positive cases confirmed daily and about 1,600 hospitalizations daily statewide. Within the last five days, Abbott said the state has seen more than 3,500 new cases and 3,200 hospitalizations daily.
The Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council is providing data on the number of beds occupied by COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients at the county level. See below for each county's hospitalization data.
Below is a breakdown of the coronavirus case data for Katy’s three counties. Note that of the seven ZIP codes, 77449, 77084 and 77094 fall fully in Harris County. ZIP code 77441 falls fully in Fort Bend County. However, ZIP code 77493 falls within Harris and Waller counties; ZIP code 77450 falls within Harris and Fort Bend counties; and ZIP code 77494 falls within Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties.
Harris County
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the six Katy-area ZIP codes in Harris County has reached 1,578, according to data available at 6:30 p.m. June 22 on the Harris County 2019 coronavirus dashboard.
Active cases total 690 as of 6:30 p.m. June 22—or approximately 43.7% of the total confirmed cases. The 690 active cases is a day-over-day increase of 53 compared to data available on the county’s dashboard on the evening of June 21.
Recovered cases total 877 as of of 6:30 p.m. June 22, or about 55.6% of total confirmed cases. The 877 active cases is a day-over-day increase of 15 compared to data available on the county’s dashboard on the evening of June 21.
Countywide, Harris County has a total of 23,047 confirmed cases, of which 8,402 have recovered and 332 have died. There are 14,313 active cases in the county.
New confirmed COVID-19 cases in Harris County and the city of Houston jumped by more than 2,000 over the June 19-21 weekend, an increase that city officials attributed to the prolonged processing of cases by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The DSHS reported a total of 252,994 tests were administered in Harris County through June 21, an increase of 4,096 from tests administered through June 20. The DSHS did not indicate whether these totals include diagnostic tests, antibody tests or both.
Data from the SETRAC shows as of June 21, there was a total of 7,937 patients in Harris County hospitals, 1,338 of which were confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in general or intensive care unit beds.
SETRAC estimates Harris County hospitals have a general and intensive care unit bed operational capacity total of 16,499 beds. If surge capacity is needed, the total number of general and ICU beds can grow to an estimated 19,805 beds.
This data for June 21 shows that out of 16,499 beds, about 48.1% were in use by all patients, and 8.1% were in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients.
Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County’s Community Impact Dashboard is reporting only the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic on the ZIP code level.
Data available at 6:30 p.m. June 22 shows the total number of confirmed cases in three Katy-area ZIP codes in Fort Bend County grew to 270. This is an increase of 29 cases since the last ZIP code level update reported June 19 by the county.
Countywide, Fort Bend County reported a total of 3,132 confirmed cases, of which 1,153 have recovered and 50 have died. Based on this data, there are 1,929 active cases in the county.
The DSHS reported a total of 82,600 tests were administered in Fort Bend County through June 21, an increase of 1,687 from tests administered through June 20. The DSHS did not indicate whether these totals include diagnostic tests, antibody tests or both.
Data from the SETRAC shows that as of June 21, there was a total of 693 patients in Fort Bend County hospitals, 145 of which were confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in general or intensive care unit beds.
SETRAC estimates Fort Bend County hospitals have a general and ICU bed operational capacity total of 1,045 beds. If surge capacity is needed, the total number of general and ICU beds can grow to an estimated 1,255 beds.
This data shows that out of 1,045 beds, about 66.3% were in use by all patients, and 13.9% were in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients.
Waller County
The Waller County COVID-19 webpage issued an update of cases for June 22. This update was accessed at 6:30 p.m. June 20. ZIP code-level data is only available for 30 of the 11 reported cases.
The June 22 update shows 75 cases have recovered and no one has died in Waller County. This indicates an active case count of 36.
Additionally, the update provided new data about Katy-area cases. Of a total of eight confirmed cases, five have recovered and three are at home to recover.
One recovered case is in ZIP code 77494, and two are in ZIP code 77493. The remaining case data only indicates the cases are in Katy, but no ZIP codes are provided.
The Texas Case Counts COVID-19 dashboard states Waller County has a total of 114 confirmed positive cases, per data available at 4:30 p.m. June 22.
The DSHS reported a total of 1,751 tests were administered in Waller County through June 21, an increase of 31 from tests administered through June 20. The DSHS did not indicate whether these totals include diagnostic tests, antibody tests or both.
SETRAC is not reporting any hospitalization data for Waller County.
