Eight more deaths attributed to COVID-19 reported in Central Texas

(KWTX) - Eight more deaths attributed to COVID-19 were reported Friday in Central Texas as the total number of cases confirmed in the state rose to near 730,000 and nationally to more than 7 million.

Waco-McLennan County officials reported Friday that six more residents diagnosed with COVID-19 have died, five of whom were elderly.

An additional death was reported in Limestone County and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice reported the death of a 55-year-old inmate who was serving a sentence at a state prison unit in Gatesville.

According to state data Thursday more than 290 area residents diagnosed with the virus have now died, including 84 Bell County residents, three more than the local count of 81; six Bosque County residents; 12 Coryell County residents, two more than the local count of 10; five Falls County residents; two Freestone County residents; four Hamilton County residents; 14 Hill County residents; eight Lampasas County residents; six Leon County residents; 13 Limestone County residents; 101 McLennan County residents, six than the local count of 105; six Milam County residents, one fewer than the state count of five; 26 Navarro County residents, six fewer than the local count of 32; and three Robertson County residents.

The total number of confirmed cases in Central Texas rose to 20,237 Friday with the report of 181 additional cases of the virus.

The Texas Department of State Health Services Friday reported 4,633 additional cases, 3,306 of which are new, increasing the statewide total to 728,552.

The state also reported 97 more deaths from the virus, increasing the statewide total to 15,364.

At least 3,221 patients were hospitalized statewide Friday, up slightly from 3,204 on Thursday, and in the two Trauma Service Areas that include most of Central Texas, more than 90 were hospitalized.

More than 5.9 million tests have been administered statewide.

The Lab Test Report Date clinical positivity rate rose to 9.25% Friday from 8.63% Thursday.

Just two of the state’s 254 counties are free of the virus.

The Texas Education Agency and the state Department of State Health Services have created a website that provides an overview of COVID-19 cases in public schools. District level data is now available.

BELL COUNTY

The Bell County Public Health District Friday reported 47 additional cases for a total of 5,367.

Of the total, 283 cases were active Friday and 5,003 patients have recovered.

The county reported 81 deaths Friday.

State data showed 84 deaths.

The state count, which includes Fort Hood personnel who live on post, rose by 22 Friday to 5.426.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor dashboard Friday showed 28 active cases and 75 closed cases of the virus.

Texas A&M University-Central Texas Friday was still reporting seven positive tests involving students and four involving faculty and staff since March.

The Killeen ISD’s online dashboard Friday showed 67 confirmed cases involving staff and 23 involving students since March 16. One active case involving an employee was reported Friday at Cedar Valley Elementary School; one active case involving an employee was reported at Hay Branch Elementary; one active case involving an employee was reported at Meadows Elementary School; one case involving a student was reported at Montague Village Elementary School; two cases involving employees were reported at Sugar Loaf Elementary School; one active case involving a student was reported at Willow Springs Elementary School; one case involving an employee was reported at Nolan Middle School; two cases involving employees were reported at Palo Alto Middle School; two cases involving employees were reported at Rancier Middle School; one case involving a student was reported at Smith Middle School; one active case involving an employee and two involving students were reported at Union Grove Middle School; one active case involving a student was reported at Harker Heights High School; one active case involving a student was reported at Killeen High School and three active cases involving students were reported at Shoemaker High School.

The Killeen ISD has received Texas Education Agency approval for its plan to provide asynchronous virtual learning for students who requested it during the school year. The plan is available online. Asynchronous virtual learning involves the use of prerecorded or pre-produced modules rather that real-time live instruction.

The Temple ISD’s online dashboard showed seven cases Friday including three at Temple High School, one at Lamar Middle School, and three at Kennedy-Powell Elementary

The Belton ISD’s online dashboard showed one confirmed case Friday at Belton Early Childhood School, and three at Belton High School.

Temple police and firefighters plan to take part in National Night Out celebrations on Oct. 6 while following health and safety guidelines amid the pandemic. Neighborhoods where more than 10 residents plan to gather must submit applications no later than seven days before the event.

A drive-thru state testing site will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday through Saturday from Sept. 28 through Oct. 10 at the Killeen Special Events Center at 3301 South WS Young Dr.

Tests are free, but online registration is required.

Results should be provided by text or email within 48 to 96 hours.

BELL COUNTY COVID-19 DEATHS

TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL COVID-19 DATA

MCLENNAN COUNTY

The Waco-McLennan County Health District Friday reported the deaths of six more residents diagnosed with COVID-19, increasing the virus' toll in the county to 105.

State data based on death certificates and county of residence showed 101 deaths.

The six include a 60-year-old man; a 90-year-old woman; an 81-year-old woman; a 90-year-old woman; a 94-year-old man, and an 84-year-old woman.

The county also reported 72 new cases of the virus Friday.

Of the total, 454 cases were active and 7,383 patients have recovered.

Forty four patients were hospitalized Friday, 12 on ventilators.

Thirty three of the 44 are McLennan County residents.

The new cases include seven residents who range in age from 11 to 17; 11 who range in age from 18 to 25; nine who range in age from 26 to 29; 13 in their 30s; 13 in their 40s; seven in their 60s, and two in their 70s.

Baylor University’s online dashboard showed 75 active cases Friday, 69 of them involving students. A total of 977 cases have been confirmed since Aug. 1. In the past seven days 35 cases have been confirmed for a positivity rate of 2.1%

The McLennan Community College dashboard Friday showed 17 active cases involving students and a total of 79 cases over the past three weeks, 67 of which involved students.

The Waco ISD dashboard Friday showed 11 active cases this week and a cumulative total of 23 including 11 students, 10 staff and two identified as “other.” Two cases were reported this week at Bell’s Hill Elementary School; two at Kendrick Elementary School; two at Lake Air Montessori School; two at Cesar Chavez Middle School; two at Indian Spring Middle School, and one at a non-campus building.

The Midway ISD’s online dashboard Friday showed two active cases involving staff at Spring Valley Elementary School; two cases involving students at Midway Middle School and three cases involving students at Midway High School.

Parents of Robinson Elementary School students were advised Thursday in a message from the school’s principal that a staff member last on campus on Sept. 22 and went home before school started on Sept, 23 has tested positive for COVID-19.

Free COVID-19 testing will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Waco Multipurpose Facility at 1020 Elm Ave. in Waco for which no registration is required; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 2 and Waco Fire Station No. 5 at 4515 Bagby Ave. for which online registration is required, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct 8 through Oct. 10 at the First Baptist Church at 307 Center St. in Lorena for which online registration is required.

MCLENNAN COUNTY COVID-19 DEATHS

TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL COVID-19 DATA

CORYELL COUNTY

Coyrell County was still reporting a total of 649 cases Friday, of which 160 were active.

A total of 479 patients have recovered.

State data, which include Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmates, showed 1,816 cases with 1,541 recoveries.

Twelve people have died in Coryell County, according to state data, but according to local data the virus has claimed 10 lives in the county including a Copperas Cove man in his 70s who died on April 9 at Advent Hospital in Killeen, to which he was admitted on April 2; a Copperas Cove man in his 60s who was diagnosed with the virus on April 5; a Copperas Cove man whose death was reported on July 8, and a Gatesville man in his 60s whose death was reported on July 12.

Gatesville prison inmate Gloria Proo, 55, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in late August, has died at Hospital Galveston, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice says. Proo, who had served three years of an 88-year sentence out of Bexar County at the Christina Melton Crain state prison unit in Gatesville, was confirmed to have the virus on Aug. 29 and was taken to Hospital Galveston the same day. She died on Sept. 11.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Friday was reporting 16 active cases involving inmates and 34 involving employees at the Christina Melton Crain Unit in Gatesville where 176 inmates were on medical restriction and 17 were isolated; six cases involving inmates and 65 involving employees at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit in Gatesville where 138 inmates were medically restricted and eight were medically isolated; four cases involving employees at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville; five cases involving employees at the Dr. Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville where 99 inmates were medically restricted, and one case involving an inmate and four cases involving employees at the Linda Woodman State Jail in Gatesville where 67 inmates were on medical restriction and two inmates were medically isolated.

The Copperas Cove ISD’s online dashboard Friday showed two cases involving students and one involving an employee at Williams/Ledger Elementary School, and one case involving an employee at Clements Parsons Elementary School.

Friday night’s game between Gatesville and Lampasas has been canceled because of “COVID-19 concerns among Lampasas High School players,” the two districts said in social media posts. Thursday night’s JV game between Gatesville and Lampasas was also cancelled. Junior high school games at Lampasas and volleyball games Friday night at Lampasas are still scheduled to be played.

Free testing is available from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Civic Center at 301 Veterans Memorial Dr. in Gatesville. ID is required.

The Cove House Free Clinic at 806 West Avenue D, Suite H, is offering free COVID-19 testing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays. Appointments are required and may be made by calling (254) 289-9865.

TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL COVID-19 DATA

LIMESTONE COUNTY

Limestone County reported 566 confirmed cases Friday.

Of the total, 469 patients have recovered.

State data Friday showed a 13th death in the county.

The first was a Mexia woman in her late 50s to early 60s with underlying health conditions who died on March 31 at Parkview Regional Hospital in Mexia after she was diagnosed with COVID-19.

A COVID-19 case prompted the cancellation of Friday night’s game between Groesbeck and Fairfield. Both teams have bye weeks in late October and the game was rescheduled for Oct. 30.

Groesbeck’s homecoming celebration Friday night will go on, but without football, but with a band performance.

TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL COVID-19 DATA

NAVARRO COUNTY

Navarro County reported 1,283 confirmed cases Friday, an increase of nine.

Of the total, 168 cases were active and 1,462 patients have recovered.

The county has reported 32 deaths.

State data, based on birth certificates and county of residence, showed 26 deaths.

TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL COVID-19 DATA

OTHER COUNTIES

According to the latest figures Friday Bosque County was reporting 319 cases and 229 recoveries. Revised state data based on death certificates showed six deaths in the county.

Falls County had 272 confirmed cases Friday, an increase of 38. Of the total, 170 patients have recovered. State data showed five deaths from the virus. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Friday reported 19 cases involving inmates and five cases involving employees at the William P. Hobby Unit in Marlin where 476 inmates were on medical restriction and 19 were isolated. Twenty seven inmates were restricted at the Marlin Transfer Facility. Marlin High School students return to the classroom Monday after three days of remote learning, but Marlin Middle School students will remain at home until Oct. 5 after two more positive cases involving staff and two more involving students were reported.

Freestone County was reporting 406 cases Friday. Of the total, 351 patients have recovered. One case involving an inmate and one involving an employee were reported Friday at the William R. Boyd Unit in Teague where 226 inmates were on medical restriction and one was medically isolated.. The county reported its first death from the virus on Aug. 31 and a second death was reported on Sept. 21. A COVID-19 case prompted the cancellation of Friday night’s game between Groesbeck and Fairfield. Both teams have bye weeks in late October and the game was rescheduled for Oct. 30.

Hamilton County was reporting 131 confirmed cases Friday, an increase of seven. A total of 100 patients have recovered. Four residents have died of the virus, according to state data.

Hill County reported a total of 647 cases Friday. Fourteen residents diagnosed with the virus have died, according to state data. The Hill College dashboard showed two active cases involving students at its Hillsboro campus. In the Hillsboro ISD one student at Hillsboro Elementary School had an active case of the virus Friday.

Lampasas County was reporting 248 cases Friday, an increase of three, with 178 recoveries. Eight residents diagnosed with the virus have died, according to state data. Friday night’s game between Gatesville and Lampasas was canceled because of “COVID-19 concerns among Lampasas High School players,” the two districts said in social media posts. Junior high school games at Lampasas and volleyball games Friday night at Lampasas were still scheduled to be played. The 2020 Wine Celebration (Tour) scheduled for Saturday has been canceled, the Lampasas Chamber of Commerce announced Monday.

Leon County reported 240 confirmed cases, an increase of two, with 195 recoveries Friday. The virus has claimed six lives in the county, according to state data.

Milam County reported 495 cases Friday, just seven of which were active. A total of 474 patients have recovered. The county was reporting six deaths Friday. State data showed five deaths.

Mills County reported 59 cases with 38 recoveries Friday.

Robertson County was still reporting 321 confirmed cases Friday. Of that number, 58 cases were active and 260 patients have recovered. The virus has claimed three lives in the county. The Hearne Police Department’s annual Trunk or Treat Halloween event has been canceled because of COVID-19 concerns.

San Saba County reported 66 cases Friday, an increase of 12, and 40 recoveries.

TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL COVID-19 DATA

COVID-19 INFORMATION, LINKS AND RESOURCES