Coronavirus: WilCo Illness Count Grows To 763

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — The number of cases of the coronavirus grew by 18 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total count to 763 on Wednesday. The fatality count remained unchanged at 29.

On a statistical dashboard maintained by Williamson County and Cities Health District officials, the number of patients who have recovered from illness is recorded as 533. Some 103 people have been hospitalized, including 49 admitted to intensive care units and another 26 on ventilators.

Another person was reported to have died of the contagious respiratory illness on Tuesday. The patient was described as a woman n her 90s.

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In neighboring Travis County, triple-digit increases in new cases have sparked wide concern. On Wednesday, the number of cases of the coronavirus across the county grew by 133 in Travis County on Wednesday, bringing the total count to 4,109. The number of fatalities remained the same from the previous day, remaining at 99 after a new death reported on Tuesday.

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Statewide, health officials reported a third straight day with a record number of patients hospitalized with the coronavirus on Wednesday, with 2,153 hospitalizations recorded — a 42 percent spike since Memorial Day.

The latest figures were updated on a Texas Department of State Health Services statistical dashboard. The latest data show a total of 79,757 cases of the respiratory illness — an increase of 2,504 over the past 24 hours. Moreover, the number of fatalities across Texas reached 1,885 — an increase of 32 from the previous day.

The Hancock Center HEB store in Austin had emptied of disinfectant wipes on Wednesday afternoon amid spikes in coronavirus illness. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

Such increases have many bracing for a possible second wave of illness — and reflexive hoarding of provisions. Store shelves at a North Austin HEB store were bereft of antiseptic wipes and other supplies on Wednesday afternoon, and signs alerted customers of renewed limits on purchases of some items.