Coronavirus: Travis County Count Grows To 774, With 30 New Cases

AUSTIN, TX — The number of coronavirus cases in Travis County rose by 30 on Sunday, bringing the total to 774.

To date, nine people have died from the respiratory illness caused by the COVID-19 virus. The death count remained unchanged at nine. Austin Public Health updates the illness count daily on a dashboard created to keep the public apprised.

Statewide, 923 additional coronavirus cases were confirmed on Sunday along with 17 deaths. The total number of positive cases for virus infection now stands at 13,484, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. To date, 271 Texas residents have died from the respiratory illness.

Harris County remains the region with the greatest concentraion of illness, with 3,561 confirmed cases. Dallas County has the second-highest level, with 1,644 cases. In the past 24 hours, Tarrant County surpassed Travis County for the third slot, with the former reporting 787 cases compared to 744 for the latter. The fifth-highest level of illness is in Bexar County, where 723 coronavirus cases have been confirmed.

The increasing levels of illness came on the same day that Gov. Greg Abbott extended a disaster declaration for all of the state's 254 counties. Originally issued on March 13th, the governor's disaster declaration makes the state eligible for a number of federal resources if needed.

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"By extending my disaster declaration, we are ensuring the state of Texas continues to have adequate resources and capabilities to support our communities and protect public health," Abbott said in a prepared statement. "I urge all Texans to continue practicing social distancing and abide by the guidelines laid out by the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and my Executive Orders to slow the spread of COVID-19."

After trailing behind his counterparts in other states, Abbott on March 31 implemented a statewide stay-at-home order — after some cities, including the capital of Austin, already had taken such measures — effective until April 30. The order also banned people from bars and restaurants in an effort to practice social distancing in trying to blunt the spread of illness.

Previous coverage: Coronavirus: Travis County Illness Count Rises To 744

Without a vaccine available to fight the virus, physical distancing is seen as the most effective way to mitigate the spread of illness. The order also extended school closures and ordered all gyms in the state to close.

Yet even amid such orders and the growing spread of illness, Abbott suggested in a press conference last week he is exploring ways to reignite the Texas economy by slowly allowing businesses to open again. The once-bustling state economy — the world's 12th most powerful — has stalled since the outset of coronavirus, prompting wide consternation.

His plans mirror calls by Donald Trump to re-open the nationwide economy in the coming days, even as health officials point to the prolonged need for physical distancing — largely ensured by business closures in inhibiting people gathering in near proximity — to flatten the curve of illness.

Lt. Dan Patrick was the first high-profile state politician to call for a return to unfettered commerce, suggesting in a March 23 television interview that senior citizens — already the most susceptible to coronavirus infection — should return to normal activities, potentially exposing themselves to illness if only to ensure a strong economy for younger generations.

“Those of us who are 70 plus, we’ll take care of ourselves, but don't sacrifice the country," Patrick, who turned 70 on April 4, said on the Fox News’ show Tucker Carlson Tonight. “No one reached out to me and said, 'As a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that America loves for its children and grandchildren?' And if that is the exchange, I'm all in.”

In teasing his plans to re-open the state economy, Abott stressed the measures would be undertaken with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] in a dual effort to "protect lives while restoring livelihoods," he said. "We can do both. I would like to see the recharging of the business sector to happen as quickly as possible with as many businesses as possible in alignment with the standards set by the CDC and by the president.”

Abbott said he had visited with Trump and the secretary of the treasury for guidance a well. “They want to be able to get certain portions of businesses up and running again," Abbott said. "They want to make sure they do so in a way that doesn’t increase or restart the spread of the coronavirus.”

For starters, Abbott on Monday is scheduled to unveil a small business initiative at 11:30 a.m. in the state Capitol. Scheduled to join Abbott in launching the program are Janie Barrera, president and CEO of LiftFund, and John Waldron, president and COO of Goldman Sachs. The press confernce will be broadcast via Zoom Video Communications.