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 Wednesday night. Below are a few highlights:
- Nirenberg reported 229 COVID-19 cases and 9 deaths in Bexar County, as of Wednesday. The mayor also reported 70 travel-related cases, 66 community transmission cases, 60 cases under investigation, 72 hospitalizations, 31 patients in intensive care and 26 patients on ventilators. He said 45 people have recovered.
- Nirenberg said a moment of silence will be held at 9:20 a.m. Thursday for those who have died from the virus and to show support for health care workers. He said the bells at the San Fernando Cathedral will ring for one minute.
- The mayor and judge discussed the recent COVID-19 outbreak at a local nursing home. Nirenberg emphasized the need to stop in-person visits at these types of facilities to protect vulnerable residents during the pandemic.
WATCH: 14 cases of COVID-19 confirmed at the Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
- Wolff discussed the county’s alternative care facility plans. He said this facility would be used if hospitals no longer had the capacity to treat as many patients with COVID-19.
- Wolff warned residents that scammers may try to sell residents at-home tests. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any at-home tests.
- During the question-answer portion of the briefing, Nirenberg said the rest of the results from the nursing home outbreak would be coming in the next few days. He said STRAC is working to identify any other nursing homes in the county that may have potential outbreaks.
- Nirenberg said the city has established a nursing homes protocol after an outbreak at a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington.
- Nirenberg said the city and county will continue to follow direction from public health officials regarding nursing homes. He said he would ask staff members to make sure all local nursing homes are in compliance with the state’s rules.
- The leaders said 400 pallets of personal protective equipment were shipped to the area to aid hospitals and other places with high contact.
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.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FROM KSAT: