The latest Department of State Health Services news from The Texas Tribune.
It’s hard to collect good numbers on an unknown virus, and Texas health officials have made errors. But experts say the state’s coronavirus data is useful as long as users understand its limitations. Full Story
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Not only are Hispanic Texans catching the coronavirus at higher rates in the state's largest county, but they also suffer some of the worst outcomes. Full Story
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Hispanic Texans are overrepresented in the state's updated fatality count, making up 48% of deaths, but only 40% of the state's population. Full Story
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The busiest hospitals in Houston are increasingly telling emergency responders they cannot safely accept new patients as hundreds of coronavirus patients crowd emergency rooms, and hospitals scramble to open more intensive care space. Full Story
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State health officials say they have enough workers to meet current needs, but some local health departments are scrambling to keep up. With 2,800 workers, Texas is still short of the governor's goal to have 4,000 people contact tracing. Full Story
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Months into the pandemic, demand for coronavirus tests is soaring. Texans report problems with almost every facet of the testing process, starting with the glitching websites and unanswered phone lines used to schedule appointments, and extending to long lags before test results come back. Full Story
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“We can protect Texans’ lives while also restoring their livelihoods,” Abbott said this week. As cases surge, the question has become: How many Texans’ lives? Full Story
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The 14-day trend line shows new infections in Texas have risen about 71% in the past two weeks. Full Story
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Health officials said there were roughly 2,900 contact tracers working in Texas, short of Gov. Greg Abbott's initial goal of 4,000 workers by June 1. State officials say it's enough for the current need. Full Story
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The state is now distinguishing antibody tests from standard viral tests. Full Story
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The facilities are still only testing residents and patients who are symptomatic or were potentially exposed to the virus, despite concerns raised by employees and family members about outbreaks. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott says the cases were detected by targeted testing at meatpacking plants. Full Story
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Texas seems to have fewer to mourn than some of the hardest-hit states. But experts say the official state death toll is likely an undercount. Full Story
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Our staff is closely tracking developments on the new coronavirus in Texas. Check here for live updates. Full Story
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Citing a state medical privacy law, Texas is refusing to release the names of long-term care facilities where residents have died from COVID-19, even as those case numbers soar and families plead for information. Full Story
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In rural areas where the presence of the virus has yet to be confirmed, testing has been scarce — raising questions about whether the virus is lingering undetected. Full Story
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Residents' families, restricted from visiting in an effort to stop the spread, are pleading for information. Even they aren’t being told how severe the outbreaks are where their loved ones live. Full Story
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Our staff is closely tracking developments on the new coronavirus in Texas. Check here for live updates. Full Story
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From April 2020 to August 2022, the Texas Tribune used data from the Texas Department of State Health Services to track coronavirus hospitalizations, vaccinations, cases and deaths. We stopped updating these numbers in August 2022. Full Story
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State officials have a lot more data about the new coronavirus than they did just days ago. But Texas remains behind the curve when it comes to critical information about the spread of the disease. Full Story