WATCH: Coronavirus update from SA Mayor Nirenberg, Bexar County Judge Wolff 3/29/20

Leaders discuss an alternate hospital location, possibility of closing parks

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff updated the community about the local response to COVID-19 in their daily briefing Sunday night.

  • Nirenberg reported 157 COVID-19 cases in Bexar County as of Sunday. The new figure indicates an increase of 17 cases from Saturday. The mayor also reported 35 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized, 61 cases are travel-related, 55 are community transmission cases and 21 are close contact cases.
  • While no additional deaths were reported this weekend — the county’s total still stands at five — Nirenberg said that it’s not enough evidence to suggest that the virus is dissipating locally.
  • In Bexar County, 161 hospital beds, 52 ICU units and 77 ventilators are currently available for potential COVID-19 patients, according to Judge Wolff. About 10 ventilators are being used currently, Nirenberg said Saturday.
  • Nirenberg said the city will announce “a facility” later this week that could serve as an “alternate” health care location, if current hospital capacity is exhausted. He declined to announce where the facility is located or other details.
  • Residents were reminded not to congregate at parks, at playgrounds or on sporting fields. The current “Stay at Home, Stay Safe” orders aim to encourage social distancing. Nirenberg said if people continue to congregate at parks the city would consider closing them. Wolff told residents to exercise without congregating and to observe social distancing measures at all times.
  • The city’s website has also added a resident assistance page that provides information for those struggling to afford food, housing, utilities and also includes information on employment opportunities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watch the entire briefing in the video player above.

San Antonio Mayor and Bexar County Judge give live, daily updates here at 6:10 p.m.

COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.

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About the Authors

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.

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