Texas Reports 14,805 New Coronavirus Cases, 252 More Deaths

AUSTIN, TX — Texas health officials on Wednesday reported 14,805 new cases of the coronavirus — the second-highest single-day count in the last two weeks — and 252 new deaths.

The data are found in a statistical dashboard maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services. "Hospitalizations continue to rise," state health officials wrote on Twitter, noting that the seven-day averages for new cases and fatalities remain high.

In the last seven days, officials said, Texas averaged 11,659 new cases a day, 9,269 current hospitalizations and 188 new fatalities reported a day. The number of single-day new cases is the second-biggest since Dec. 7, when 15,100 were reported, according to dashboard data.

The numbers are actually higher. State health officials wrote on the dashboard that in addition to the 14,805 new confirmed cases, another 671 older confirmed cases recently were reported by labs in various counties: Archer (5), Atascosa (9), Austin (2), Bandera (3), Briscoe (1), Brooks (3), Clay (3), Colorado (1), Comanche (3), Cooke (14), Deaf Smith (1), Dickens (1), Dimmit (5), Duval (8), Eastland (3), El Paso (24), Ellis (32), Erath (8), Fannin (4), Frio (15), Galveston (3), Gillespie (23), Gonzales (4), Guadalupe (55), Hardeman (1), Harris (136), Hemphill (1), Hood (3), Hutchinson (1), Jack (1), Jim Hogg (1), Jim Wells (12), Johnson (45), Jones (3), Karnes (4), Kaufman (19), Kendall (11), Kerr (15), Kinney (11), Kleberg (3), Lamb (1), Lavaca (8), Liberty (3), Matagorda (5), Montague (4), Moore (3), Morris (1), Nueces (22), Palo Pinto (10), Parker (20), Real (2), Rockwall (9), Runnels (1), Somervell (1), Starr (1), Titus (1), Victoria (3), Walker (1), Waller (9), Wharton (4), Wheeler (1), Wilbarger (6), Willacy (7), Wilson (16), Wise (27), Young (2), Zapata (4), and Zavala (2).

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Probably cases also are higher than the official tally, according to state agency. In addition to 3,202 new probable cases reported on Wednesday, another 124 older probable cases were reported by labs across the state's counties: Austin (1), Briscoe (2), Calhoun (1), Callahan (2), Collingsworth (1), Colorado (2), Cooke (2), Deaf Smith (2), Dickens (1), Ellis (5), Fannin (1), Floyd (1), Frio (1), Gonzales (1), Guadalupe (1), Hansford (3), Haskell (1), Hockley (1), Hood (4), Jackson (1), Johnson (9), Jones (6), Karnes (4), Kaufman (12), Kerr (1), Kleberg (22), Lavaca (1), Liberty (2), Nueces (1), Palo Pinto (1), Parker (10), Parmer (1), Rockwall (1), Runnels (1), Shackelford (1), Somervell (2), Stephens (1), Walker (2), Wilbarger (1), Wilson (1), and Wise (10).

Starting Friday, the Texas Department of State Health Services began reporting probable COVID-19 cases on the dashboard. On Twitter, the agency's chief epidemiologist, Jennifer Shuford, explained what constitutes a probable case and why the agency is s reporting them.

The state agency also uploaded an explanatory video on YouTube:

According to the dashboard, the top 25 counties with the highest number of confirmed cases since the onset of illness are:

• Harris County: 210,362.
• Dallas County: 147,591.
• Tarrant County: 107,721.
• El Paso County: 93,859/
• Bexar County: 79,363.
• Hidalgo County: 48,009.
• Travis County: 43,469.
• Lubbock County: 37,528.
• Collin County: 34,177.
• Cameron County: 27,742.
• Fort Bend County: 26,975.
• Denton County: 26,582.
• Webb County: 23,131.
• Nueces County: 19,523.
• Montgomery County: 19,107.
• Galveston County: 16,924.
• McLennan County: 16,570.
• Brazoria County: 16,496.
• Williamson County: 16,322.
• Potter County: 14,415.

In top-ranked Houston on Wednesday, health officials recorded a 14-day high of 1,472 new cases — surpassing the 1,196 reported on Dec. 6, according to dashboard data.

In terms of cumulative deaths, the counties with the highest fatality rates are:

• Harris County: 3,178.
• Hidalgo County: 1,885.
• Dallas County: 1,765.
• Bexar County: 1,591.
• El Paso County: 1,418.
• Tarrant County: 1,205.
• Cameron County: 1,051.
• Travis County: 502.
• Lubbock County: 474.
• Nueces County: 455.
• Webb County: 418.
• Fort Bend County: 355.
• Collin County: 309.
• Denton County: 274.
• Montgomery County: 237.
• McLennan County: 224.
• Smith County: 221.
• Brazoria County: 214.
• Potter County: 210.
• Jefferson County: 199.
• Galveston County: 196.
• Starr County: 194.
• Williamson County: 187.
• Maverick County: 181.
• Ector County: 180.

Invoking the 188 daily fatalities the state is now averaging, state health officials pleaded with residents to be safe over the holidays. Health officials worry of potential illness surges after holiday-related gatherings. "These are your fellow Texans, neighbors and loved ones," officials wrote on Twitter about those succumbing to the respiratory illness. "Simple #HealthyTexas steps save lives, possibly your own. Be safe and smart over the holidays."

Health officials provided a link from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionoutlining safety tips.

In spite of prevailing upward illness trends, health officials are buoyed by the arrival on Friday of the first batch of vaccines in Texas. Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt shared a message about the Pfizer vaccines while encouraging those eligible for the first round of shots to receive them.

To see the full range of coronavirus data, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services dashboard.