Employees at Savalino sanitize, sort, and ship masks from it's east Austin production facility. Savilino was making aprons and leather goods for service industry workers before the pandemic, now it?s making thousands of cloth masks and has added dozens of workers to its payroll. [JAMES GREGG/AMERICAN-STATESMAN]▲
Christopher Matos wears a bandana over his face while running on East 7th Street on Monday April 6, 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. Austin and Travis County are recommending the use of fabric face coverings when away from home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. [JAY JANNER/AMERICAN-STATESMAN]▲
A woman looks into the window of the Paramount Theater located on Congress Avenue in Austin on Wednesday. Austin Mayor Steve Adler shuttered bars and restaurants in the state’s capital Tuesday. The shutdown, which also includes entertainment venues like the Paramount, aims to halt the spread of the new coronavirus. [BRONTE WITTPENN/AMERICAN-STATESMAN]▲
Congress Avenue is devoid of its usual heavy traffic in this photo taken around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday as government officials close establishments and tell people to stay home. [JAY JANNER/AMERICAN-STATESMAN]▲
Travis County officials on Wednesday reported two new deaths from COVID-19, the disease linked to the coronavirus, and set a single-day record of 220 newly confirmed cases.
The previous single-day record for new lab confirmed cases in Travis County was set June 9, with 161 new cases.
A total of 108 people in Travis County have died because of the coronavirus as of Wednesday. The total number of confirmed cases in the county is now at 4,991.
Interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott on Wednesday urged the public to continue wearing masks in public places and to keep six feet of distance between other people, adding that he thinks "public health should not be a political issue."
Gov. Greg Abbott has said that he does not oppose a local order in Bexar County that implements mask requirements for businesses. Travis County and Austin officials on Wednesday said they are considering similar orders.
A recent spike in the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations has led city and county leaders to extend stay-home orders to Aug. 15 and issue updated recommendations reflecting Travis County's move into a higher risk category.
Health officials said last week they are seeing an increase in cases partly because fewer residents are using face coverings in public or practicing social distancing.
They had previously said the daily number of new cases has trended upward as the state has allowed more businesses to reopen. The number of infections might be seven to eight times higher than what the reported data show, they added.
Officials have also warned that the recent protests against police brutality may result in a spike in coronavirus cases and have urged protesters to get tested, even if they're not showing symptoms.
The county on Wednesday reported that the number of people who have recovered from COVID-19 is now 3,817.
Data released Wednesday included a breakdown of the Travis County cases by race and ethnicity.
Of those who tested positive for the coronavirus, 60% are Hispanic, according to recent Austin data. Travis County health officials have said that concerns remain about the disproportionate impact the virus is having on the Hispanic community as well as people living in nursing homes.
Non-Hispanic whites account for about 28% of cases, 6% are black and 2% are Asian.
In some cases, the race or ethnicity of Travis County residents with the coronavirus is listed as "unknown" or "other," Austin officials said.
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Previous updates:
APRIL 13
The City of Austin and Travis County extended stay-at-home orders until May 8 and included new mandates for people to wear facial covers when in public.
APRIL 4
Two more people in Travis County have died from coronavirus in the past 24 hours and 30 more people have confirmed cases, county officials announced Saturday night.
There are now 460 confirmed cases in the county, officials said. There have been a total of six deaths.
The two latest reported deaths were a woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s, officials said Saturday.
APRIL 3
A fourth person in Travis County with coronavirus has died as the number of confirmed cases on Friday climbed to 430.
The new number is up from the 351 positive cases officials reported Wednesday — an increase of 79 new cases, the largest daily jump since the pandemic began. Health officials said the hike was due to increased testing.
Three of the people who died were women older than 70 and one was a man in his 60s, Austin officials said.
Sixty-eight of the 430 people are hospitalized, Austin officials said Friday.
The majority of those who have tested positive for the illness in Travis County are between 20 and 39 years old, according to health officials' data.
MARCH 28:
Capital Metro announced that it will offer free rides for all customers starting Wednesday. The city of Austin also announced that it would close all park amenities, with the exception of restrooms and water fountains, in order to promote social distancing and comply with recent stay-at-home orders issued by city and Travis County authorities.
MARCH 27:
Austin and Travis County officials said a woman, who they described as older than 70 with significant underlying health conditions, died from the illness earlier that week. Officials said they would not release further details about the woman to protect her family's privacy.
MARCH 26:
Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott said new data from the University of Texas showed that reducing personal interactions by 90% in coming weeks would save thousands of lives in the greater Austin community alone.
MARCH 25:
President Donald Trump issued a major disaster declaration for Texas as the state grapples with a growing number of coronavirus cases.
Hays County has issued a stay-at-home order to slow down the spread of the new coronavirus.
MARCH 24:
Leaders with the City of Austin, Travis County and Williamson County ordered residents to stay home to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
MARCH 23:
A shelter-in-place order was to go into effect over the next few days after medical and government officials began circulating a draft of the order. Adler said it is similar to one issued for Dallas County on Sunday.
MARCH 21:
While restrictions on gatherings do not apply to grocery stores and pharmacies, Mayor Steve Adler called for new retailer restrictions. Adler that night signed an updated order that required grocery stores, pharmacies and warehouse stores to put in place controls that allow for six-foot social distancing, such as placing markers on the floor.
On March 22, Austin hospitals implemented a policy that prohibits visitors from entering medical facilities in an effort to slow the coronavirus spread and protect patients and hospital staff. Exceptions to the policy are made for laboring and post-partum patients; patients with disabilities or impairments or who are elderly; pediatric and neonatal patients; patients requiring surgery or other medical procedures; and patients requiring end-of-life care.
MARCH 20:
The number of people diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, is expected to grow rapidly in the coming days as testing ramps up across the state.
"You are going to see an exponential increase in the number of people who test positive on a daily basis," Governor Greg Abbott said. "People just need to be prepared and not shocked for the mathematical reality."
MARCH 18:
The St. David's HealthCare hospital system announced that one of its physicians tested positive for COVID-19, the illness linked to the new coronavirus.
MARCH 17:
To combat the spread, Travis County and Austin officials last week prohibited gatherings of 10 or more people and ordered restaurants' dining rooms and bars to close. However, officials did make allowances for restaurant curbside pickup, takeout and delivery under the order.
CORONAVIRUS IN TEXAS: What we know, latest updates
More helpful links:
– Here's how get tested for coronavirus in Austin
– How to make your own face mask to help stop the spread of coronavirus
– How to get help in Austin with food, healthcare during coronavirus pandemic
– Coronavirus in Austin: Read our list of take-out service and closures at restaurants
– Coronavirus in Texas: Mental health resources to seek out amid anxiety