New COVID-19 cases plummet in Texas

Texas reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 8,286 new cases. That's down 42.6% from the previous week's tally of 14,439 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Texas ranked 17th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 19.6% from the week before, with 79,884 cases reported. With 8.71% of the country's population, Texas had 10.37% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, eight states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Across Texas, cases fell in 109 counties, with the best declines in Webb, Bell and Harris counties.

Wichita County reported 26 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 16 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 15,196 cases and 381 deaths.

Young County reported five cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported one case and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 2,188 cases and 45 deaths.

Montague County reported four cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported six cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 2,120 cases and 73 deaths.

Clay County reported three cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported three cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 1,042 cases and 16 deaths.

Archer County reported zero cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported zero cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 812 cases and 12 deaths.

Wilbarger County reported three cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported one case and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 1,935 cases and 55 deaths.

Baylor County reported one case and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported one case and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 301 cases and 13 deaths.

Hardeman County reported one case and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported one case and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 385 cases and 12 deaths.

Throckmorton County reported zero cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported zero cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic, it has reported 73 cases and five deaths.

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Texas ranked 34th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 47.2% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 53.3%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.

In the week ending Sunday, Texas reported administering another 802,849 vaccine doses, including 325,935 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 696,111 vaccine doses, including 293,203 first doses. In all, Texas reported it has administered 25,000,644 total doses.

Within Texas, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Hutchinson, Crosby and Hockley counties. Adding the most new cases overall were Dallas County, with 898 cases; Bexar County, with 880 cases; and Tarrant County, with 609. Weekly case counts rose in 108 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Bexar, Medina and Dallas counties.

In Texas, 181 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 210 people were were reported dead.

A total of 2,985,659 people in Texas have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 52,110 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 33,541,887 people have tested positive and 601,824 people have died.

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The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.