ABILENE, TX – The Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District oh Wednesday reported a jump in new COVID-19 cases, due in part to “older tests taken in January and a widespread testing event,” officials said.
Taylor County added 29 cases, compared to a total of 46 last week. Of the new cases, 25 were confirmed via polymerase chain reaction tests.
Active cases total 162 (68 PCR cases and 94 antigen cases). A week ago, active cases numbered 146.
COVID-19 inpatients at both Abilene hospital total 11, two more than city officials reported Tuesday. The average age of the patients is 61, and four live outside Taylor County.
The percentage of COVID-19 inpatients in the Abilene trauma service area was 0.75% Tuesday, compared to 0.66% Monday and 0.90% Sunday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services COVID-19 website.
Upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics
Appointments are being accepted for upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics by the Abilene-Taylor County Health District.
The clinics Thursday and April 28-29 will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Abilene Convention Center.
To make an appointment, go to abilenetx.gov/vaccineschedule.
Anyone 16 and older is now eligible to be vaccinated.
Coronavirus by the numbers
Abilene/Taylor County (updated Wednesday): Total positive PCR cases, 7,197; active PCR cases, 68; total antigen probable cases, 8,346; total active antigen cases, 94; total PCR recoveries, 6,961; total antigen recoveries, 8,021; Total deaths, 399; Current hospitalizations at Abilene facilities (as reported by city, which may vary from Hendrick number depending on time of day), 11.
Texas (updated Wednesday): Total cases, 2,448,662; New cases, 3,503; Active cases (estimated), 65,311; Hospitalized, 2,887; Fatalities, 48,759; New fatalities, 82; Total tests, 27,357,715; Recovered (estimated), 2,702,829.
Big Country estimated active cases (as tracked by the state): Howard, 52; Scurry, 16; Coke, 15; Erath, 11; Brown, 6; Fisher, 4; Jones, 3; Comanche, 2; Mitchell, 2; Shackelford, 2; Callahan, 1; Eastland, 1; Knox, 1; Runnels, 1; Stephens, 1; Coleman, 0; Haskell, 0; Kent, 0; Nolan, 0; Stonewall, 0; Throckmorton, 0.
Select West Texas counties estimated active cases: Ector (Odessa), 251; Midland, 215; Randall (Canyon), 152; Potter (Amarillo), 111; Tom Green (San Angelo), 91; Lubbock, 83; Wichita (Wichita Falls), 38; and Hale (Plainview), 10; Moore, 2.
Sources: City of Abilene, Texas Department of State Health Services (counts PCR cases only)
SELECT PRISONS (Tuesday update)
Daniel (Snyder): Staff cases – active, 1. Inmate cases – active, 25, medical isolation, 25.
Havins (Brownwood): Staff cases – active, 0; Inmate cases – active, 0, medical isolation, 0.
Middleton (Abilene): Staff cases – active, 4; Inmate cases – active, 1, medical isolation, 1.
Robertson (Abilene): Staff cases – active, 9; Inmate cases – active, 0, medical isolation, 0.
Sayle (Breckenridge): Staff cases – active, 0; Inmate cases – active, 0, medical isolation, 0.
Wallace (Colorado City): Staff cases – active, 0; Inmate cases – active, 0, medical isolation, 0.
Source: Texas Department of Criminal Justice COVID-19 website.
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Abilene ISD: Reported Tuesday one new student case at Abilene High. Active cases total 10 (seven students, three staff). Since Aug. 17, the district has reported 1,133 cases (573 students, 560 staff).
Abilene Christian University: Reported Wednesday nine active cases, same as Tuesday, and three people in quarantine because of possible exposure. The cumulative number of cases is 795.
Hardin-Simmons University: Reported Wednesday zero active cases.
