Austin Public Health confirms 232 new coronavirus cases July 28

Austin Public Health confirmed 232 new COVID-19 cases in Travis County on July 28, with 38 new coronavirus-related hospital admissions in the Austin metropolitan area.

Earlier in the day, Austin-Travis County Health Authority Mark Escott briefed the Travis County Commissioners Court, noting that the decline in new hospitalizations over the month was a promising but that local intensive care units are still stressed.

“I think our community has done a great job getting a lid back on this," Escott said. "But now is not the time to dance."

Additionally, Escott said APH is considering a shift to antigen testing, a method that allows offers quick results, albeit with slightly decreased accuracy.

To date, Travis County has had 19,952 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with an estimated 17,398 recoveries. Some 370 coronavirus patients are currently hospitalized, with 133 in ICUs and 97 on ventilators. Some 255 Travis County residents have died due to complications with the virus.