AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer being updated. Click here for Thursday's blog.
KVUE is keeping you updated with the latest coronavirus and COVID-19 news in the Austin area.
Scroll down for the top headlines and latest updates in KVUE's Dec. 30 live blog.
COVID-19 numbers:
- Texas: More than 1.4 million cases have been reported in the state, and more than 26,500 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Central Texas counties:
- Travis County: At least 50,194 cases have been reported and at least 548 people have died. At least 44,917 people have recovered from the virus.
- Hays County: At least 10,524 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 126 people have died. At least 8,644 people have recovered from the virus.
- Williamson County: At least 20,411 cases have been reported in the county and at least 203 people have died. At least 18,905 people have recovered from the virus.
For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.
GRAPHS: Coronavirus data Dec. 29
Updates:
6:30 p.m. – Williamson County said all 900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine it received were administered to frontline workers during a five-day vaccination clinic that started on Dec. 26 at Hutto High School.
"Only through great partnerships with our local first responder agencies and ISDs were we able to conduct a very successful vaccination clinic to protect our community’s frontline workers," said Derrick Neal, WCCHD executive director. “We are especially grateful to Hutto ISD for being gracious hosts, and the gratitude shown by those who were vaccinated.”
RELATED: One Texas health district received 900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Then, it closed for Christmas.
6:20 p.m. – Travis County reported four more deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday along with 546 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 50,194 cases and 548 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 44,917 people have recovered from the virus.
Travis County currently has 434 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 140 in the ICU and 81 on ventilators.
5:30 p.m. – In a statement on Wednesday, Baylor Scott & White said it is still vaccinating health care workers.
"We are continuing to immunize our health care workers, as the health of our team members is critical to our ability to continue delivering safe care in the communities we serve. In most cases, we are distributing the doses we receive within hours of securing the shipment.
"Immediately after our health care workers are vaccinated, we will begin immunizing priority patients and community members. We are encouraging the public to sign up for vaccine updates via this website:
5:10 p.m. – Williamson County reported another two deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday along with 343 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 20,411 cases and 203 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 18,905 people have recovered from the virus.
4:45 p.m. – Hays County reports one new coronavirus-related death, a Kyle woman in her 40s, bringing the county's total number of deaths to 126. The county is also reporting 43 new lab-confirmed cases, bringing the total to 10,524.
At least 8,644 people have recovered from the virus in Hays County. There are currently 49 people hospitalized with the virus in the county.
3:50 p.m. – According to a statement on hospital capacity for Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health and St. David's HealthCare, the 2,473 staffed beds within all three health care systems are 78% occupied, and the 483 ICU beds are 85% occupied.
3:20 p.m. – St. David's HealthCare said on Wednesday it does not yet have enough vaccine supply to provide vaccinations to those in group 1B. In a statement, the health care system said:
"Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), St. David's HealthCare facilities with the COVID-19 vaccine are currently administering COVID-19 vaccinations to our health care workers, including hospital employees and medical staff physicians. While we acknowledge the state has opened eligibility for adults over 65 and those with specific chronic conditions over age 16 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, our current vaccine supply only allows for vaccinations for our employees and doctors at this time. We are proactively engaged in the safe management of COVID-19, and the health and safety of our patients, caregivers and communities remain our top priorities. If we receive additional vaccine resources that allow our facilities to vaccinate beyond employees and doctors, we will consider if it's feasible for us to serve as vaccination sites for the public."
2 p.m. – After Austin-Travis County ordered temporary restrictions on dine-in services at bars and restaurants around the New Year's holiday – a move that Gov. Greg Abbott says is a violation of his executive order – KVUE reached out to surrounding counties to see if they have similar plans.
Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape does not have any plans to issue any closure orders in response to COVID-19 restrictions, nor does the county plan to further restrict dining.
Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said the county is "closely monitoring the hospitalization data and waiting on guidance from Governor Abbott regarding any changes to the current orders," and he will not be issuing any additional restrictions and curfews other than what is put in place by the governor.
KVUE has not yet received a response from Hays County.
1:35 p.m. – Leander ISD school nurses have received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. LISD Trustee Jim MacKay, a first responder, was also part of the first group to be vaccinated.
1:30 p.m. – Ascension Seton says, for now, it remains focused on vaccinating health care staff and first responders and will expand to the community, including those in Phase 1B, in the coming weeks when vaccine supply allows.
Ascension Seton says it will announce publicly and share more details when the system moves to the next phase of vaccination. So far, Ascension Texas has vaccinated more than 10,000 frontline caregivers, support staff and providers.
11:35 a.m. – The City of Austin’s in-door curfew order is getting pushback from the governor, but city leaders say it doesn’t violate his executive order.
"Lawyers are telling us that it does not violate the [executive] order because it's just an operational constraint," Adler said. "And the reason that we're doing this is because it focuses on the activity where people are together without wearing masks. And that's what the experts tell us is the single biggest point of potential risk, so we have a narrowly tailored order that focuses on operational change to protect against the most dangerous situation that we can control."
10:45 a.m. – Austin leaders wrapped up their update on the dine-in restrictions for restaurants and bars. You can watch the press conference in full in the video below.
9:15 a.m. – Mayor Steve Adler, the Travis County Judge and Dr. Mark Escott will give an update on the restaurant and bar curfews that were announced on Tuesday. It will begin at 10 a.m.
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