The state’s public health experts are changing their calculation of one of the governor’s go-to measures of the spread of coronavirus. It’s an improvement, but the new version has some bugs of its own.
Department of State Health Services
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas officials change how the state reports positivity rate after testing backlogs skewed coronavirus data
The Texas Department of State Health Services said it will now rely on a calculation that takes into account the date on which a coronavirus test was administered, rather than when it was reported.
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Coronavirus in Texas
The percentage of Texans testing positive for COVID-19 is dropping, but experts say the threat isn’t over
One key COVID-19 metric is trending downward, but experts worry that Labor Day gatherings and school reopenings could cause cases to spike again.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Five health experts on the state’s coronavirus data backlog
The state disclosed a backlog of more than 850,000 tests this month, which were delayed in part because of coding or formatting errors and a lengthy onboarding process needed to receive reports from laboratories.
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Coronavirus in Texas
In shift, Texas begins publishing some data on coronavirus cases at child care centers
Without numbers on how many children or staff are in Texas child care facilities — which the state does not report — it’s hard to gauge the magnitude of infections.
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Coronavirus in Texas
When sharing pencils isn’t safe, this San Antonio teacher is helping crowdfund extra school supplies
In the weekend edition of The Brief podcast, listen to why Ambra Hernandez felt compelled to launch a Facebook group to help teachers fulfill their longer-than-normal wish lists.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas is investigating its high proportion of coronavirus tests coming back positive
The governor also said that testing is down statewide possibly because of the closure of some temporary testing sites created in July that targeted various coronavirus hotspots.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Coronavirus outbreak at Houston-area nursing home kills 17 residents
The news comes as Texas resumes limited visitations in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities that meet certain requirements.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Why Texas’ coronavirus data comes with caveats
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.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas’ count of coronavirus deaths jumps 8% after officials change the way they tally COVID-19 fatalities
Hispanic Texans are overrepresented in the state’s updated fatality count, making up 48% of deaths, but only 40% of the state’s population.
