San Antonio reports three-day rise in COVID-19 cases as U.S. sets new hospitalization record

click to enlarge COVID-19 testing site at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio - Twitter / @SAMetroHealth
Twitter / @SAMetroHealth
COVID-19 testing site at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio
Local officials on Saturday evening reported 1,661 new COVID-19 cases and one new coronavirus-related death over the past three days in Bexar County.

That brings the total count to 78,411 cases and 1,344 deaths. San Antonio and Bexar County officials didn't hold a coronavirus briefing Thursday or Friday due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

The rising numbers come as the U.S. set a new record for COVID-19 hospitalizations and as public health experts warn worse is likely to come in the aftermath of family gatherings and travel over the holiday weekend.

The U.S. exceeded 80,000 daily hospitalizations on November 19 and set new records for 17 days straight afterward, according to COVID Tracking Project data.

As of Saturday, 548 COVID-19 patients were in Bexar County hospitals, leaving 16% of staffed beds available. Of those patients, 1
72 were under intensive care and 92 were on ventilators.

A 10 p.m.-to-5 a.m. curfew imposed by city and county leaders for the holiday weekend is still in effect. It will extend through Monday, November 30.

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Sanford Nowlin

Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current.

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