Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations drop slightly, stay high

DALLAS Coronavirus hospitalizations fell slightly in Texas on Saturday, but it was still the highest record, as health officials said there were about 600 intensive care beds available in the state of nearly 29 million people.

Texas on Saturday reported 12,319 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, ending five consecutive days of record hospitalizations. But even with the decline of more than 160 patients as of Friday, the virus still strained medical resources.

Intensive care units in several parts of Texas were full or nearly full, with 626 ICU beds available throughout Saturday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The department reported 96 new deaths, as well as 3,995 new, confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 487 probable cases. It is believed that the actual number of cases is much higher because many people have not been tested yet and some who get sick do not show symptoms.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, nearly one in five coronavirus tests in Texas has returned positive in the past seven days.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with pre-existing health problems, the virus can cause serious illness and be fatal.