The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
A plateauing of new virus cases would hardly represent a victory over the pandemic, but it would help keep hospitals from being overrun with sick patients. Full Story
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Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez issued a new shelter-at-home order Monday night, but it “has no enforcement mechanism” according to Abbott’s office. Full Story
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The number of COVID-19 deaths has reached 4,000 in Texas, and public health experts say that’s an undercount because not all people who died with coronavirus symptoms were tested. Full Story
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Doctors and nurses at local hospitals across South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley have been working a number of extra shifts as their hospitals near capacity. Full Story
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Nueces County Medical Examiner Adel Shaker told The Texas Tribune last week that a baby boy, younger than 6 months old, tested positive for COVID-19 and died. Full Story
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Early hot spots have been eclipsed by new regions in crisis. Now that so much of Texas is battling major coronavirus outbreaks, some severely ill patients have to travel long distances to receive the care they need. Full Story
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On Wednesday, TEA officials confirmed that school districts wouldn't be penalized for barring students on campuses if local health officials mandated that schools stay closed, as long as remote instruction is offered. Full Story
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Other reasons UT-Austin would close include “significant actions” by the governor or other public officials, sharply diminished hospital capacity, testing shortages on campus and unmanageable, widespread clusters of cases. Full Story
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Abbott said it will take weeks to see whether his recent mask order and decision to close bars are effective in slowing the virus' spread. Full Story
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The governor began the state party convention Thursday by addressing head-on the growing discontent with his orders to contain the pandemic. Full Story
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Up to 15,000 test kits will be available per month across its 11 universities. The system has set aside $16 million to pay for the testing program. Full Story
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The pandemic-driven economic downturn has left more than 5.4 million Americans with no job and no insurance. Texas has one of the largest shares of this increase. Full Story
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The ads address the state's coronavirus surge, which has become dire as hospitals and morgues scramble to respond to the rising number of infections and deaths. Full Story
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Many Texas hospitals are no longer accepting transfer patients in order to maintain space for a surge that’s expected to come. In some parts of the state, it’s already here. Full Story
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In the middle of a pandemic, voters will be weighing in on primary runoffs for U.S. Senate, nationally watched congressional races and a handful of seats in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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When pharmacist Frank Arredondo was wheeled on a stretcher into a South Texas ward for coronavirus patients in early April, his wife wondered if they would ever see each other again. Full Story
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The coronavirus pandemic has proved a leadership test like no other for the second-term governor. He holds nearly all power over the state’s response as it careens toward crisis. Full Story
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More than 3,000 Texans have died from the coronavirus and counties are preparing for even more deaths by expanding their capacities to store bodies. Full Story
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Abbott has repeated that warning multiple times in local television interviews this week. 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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