DATA: 644 new COVID-19 cases, 0 new deaths reported in the KXAN viewing area Friday

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Editor’s Note: For consistency, KXAN is now using Texas DSHS data for case and death totals in all counties in the viewing area. Previously, data from Austin Public Health and the Hays County Health Department was also being used.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN is keeping track of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, across Central Texas. Click here for statewide data.

How prevalent is COVID in my county?

In February 2022, the CDC began weekly updates determining the “COVID Community Level” in each county nationwide. The three levels — High, Medium and Low — show how prevalent COVID-19 is in each county, by looking at hospitalization and case data. The data is updated weekly.

Austin Public Health previously used a staging system to determine the threat of COVID-19 locally. The system was retired on March 29, 2022, and replaced with the CDC’s Community Level.

Where have cases been reported?

The first COVID-19 cases in Central Texas were reported on March 13, 2020. Texas reports totals for two kinds of cases: confirmed and probable. A confirmed case is a person who has tested positive on a molecular test. A probable case is a person who has tested positive on an antigen test, or someone who has a combination of symptoms and known exposure to someone with COVID-19.

Where have deaths been reported?

Texas identifies COVID-19 deaths using the cause of death listed on death certificates. The total number of deaths does not include people who had COVID-19 but died from an unrelated cause. The first COVID-19-related death in Central Texas was reported March 27, 2020, in Travis County.

How many people have been vaccinated?

The first vaccines in Central Texas were administered on December 15, 2020, at Dell Medical School in Austin. The map below shows the percentage of residents in each county that are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The chart below shows the percentage of all residents in each county who have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

KXAN is also keeping track of vaccination rates in each zip code across Central Texas. Click here to explore the data using our interactive map.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses for a person to be fully vaccinated. People who have taken one dose are considered partially vaccinated. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose, so people who take that vaccine are automatically considered fully vaccinated.

How has the number of cases changed over time?

KXAN is keeping track of the daily increase in COVID-19 cases across Central Texas. The highest daily jump occurred on Jan. 21, 2022, when 7,115 new cases (confirmed and probable) were added to the area total. The highest single-day increase in confirmed cases was 5,968 on Jan. 21, 2022. The highest single-day increase in probable cases was 1,637 on Jan. 17, 2022.

The largest increase in deaths in a single day occurred on Sept. 8, 2021, when 38 new deaths were reported.

How many people are in the hospital?

Austin Public Health reports hospitalization data for the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which comprises of Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties. The Austin MSA hit a peak of 728 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Jan. 19, 2022. The chart below shows how the number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19 has changed throughout the pandemic.

The charts below show how hospital and ICU bed usage has changed throughout the pandemic.