Past Contributions

• Nearly 14% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases are recorded in Texas

  By Sarah R. Champagne, Edgar Walters and Mandi Cai July 8, 2020

  Texas’ coronavirus cases now make up a significantly higher proportion than its 9% share of the nation’s population. Full Story 

• Ten out of the 12 hospitals in Texas' Rio Grande Valley are now full

  By Sarah R. Champagne July 4, 2020

  "We are now at the point of grave concern," said the CEO of one hospital system in deep South Texas as local hospitals began diverting patients away from their emergency rooms amid a crush of COVID-19 infections. Full Story 

• Texas won’t specify where hospital beds are available as coronavirus cases hit record highs

  By Sarah R. Champagne July 2, 2020

  As coronavirus caseloads soar across Texas, hospitals are seeing a surge of new patients. But getting information on which hospitals are hardest hit is nearly impossible. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott bans elective surgeries in four South Texas counties to preserve hospital capacity

  By Sarah R. Champagne Updated: June 30, 2020

  Elective procedures are now banned in eight counties around the state — Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Travis, Cameron, Hidalgo, Nueces and Webb. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott pauses Texas’ reopening, bans elective surgeries in four counties to preserve bed space for coronavirus patients

  By Sarah R. Champagne Updated: June 25, 2020

  For a second time since the start of the pandemic, Abbott banned elective surgeries to preserve bed space for coronavirus patients. But this time the hold on the nonessential procedures is only in effect for Bexar, Dallas, Harris and Travis counties. Full Story 

• Texas’ coronavirus positivity rate exceeds “warning flag” level Abbott set as businesses reopened

  By Sarah R. Champagne and Shannon Najmabadi June 24, 2020

  In early May, Gov. Greg Abbott pointed to the positivity rate — a ratio of positive COVID-19 tests to all tests — and said anything over 10% was cause for alarm. As of Wednesday, Texas exceeded that mark for the first time since April. Full Story 

• Coronavirus patients crowd some Texas ICUs as Gov. Greg Abbott touts "abundant" hospital capacity

  By Shannon Najmabadi and Sarah R. Champagne June 23, 2020

  Regionally, some hospital officials are reporting that intensive care units are near or over capacity, and local leaders have warned that hospitals could get overwhelmed if the number of infections keeps climbing. Full Story 

• Texas is heading down a dangerous path, local leaders warn as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge

  By Reese Oxner, Sarah R. Champagne, Shannon Najmabadi and Emma Platoff Updated: June 22, 2020

  When Gov. Greg Abbott let businesses start reopening, he pointed to two metrics as encouraging signs: the hospitalization rate and the infection rate. Both of those metrics are on the rise in Texas. Full Story 

• Texas coronavirus hospitalizations hit record highs for a full week

  By Sarah R. Champagne Updated: June 18, 2020

  The state reported a total of 2,947 people in hospitals on Thursday. Full Story 

• Surge in coronavirus cases linked to more Texans in their 20s getting sick, officials say

  By Sarah R. Champagne and Reese Oxner Updated: June 16, 2020

  Gov. Greg Abbott and health experts say young adults may be taking social distancing less seriously. Full Story