AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer being updated. Click here for Friday'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 April 1 live blog.
COVID-19 numbers:
- Texas: More than 2.3 million cases have been reported in the state, and more than 47,200 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Central Texas counties:
- Travis County: At least 79,324 cases have been reported and at least 818 people have died. At least 77,473 people have recovered from the virus.
- Hays County: At least 17,187 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 236 people have died. At least 16,551 people have recovered from the virus.
- Williamson County: At least 37,226 cases have been reported in the county and at least 450 people have died.
For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.
GRAPHS: Coronavirus data for April 1, 2021
Updates:
7:23 p.m. – On Friday, the Travis Association for the Blind Austin Lighthouse will receive 300 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Walgreens to meet the needs of their blind and visually impaired employees and community. The event takes place at its southeast Austin location in District 2 (4512 S. Pleasant Valley) and goes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“I am grateful to be invited to witness this community-led effort to serve our blind and visually impaired community,” said Councilwoman Vanessa Fuentes. “Too many vulnerable people have been overlooked during this pandemic, and because of the initiative taken by local resident Sharon Cohan in partnering with Austin Lighthouse, a few more hundred people who greatly needed it will be protected.”
Cohan said she was inspired to step in after meeting a visually impaired person who had trouble signing up.
“It’s been an unexpected honor to meet so many members of the visually impaired community here in Austin,” Cohan said. “And it brings me tremendous joy to facilitate bringing this vaccine clinic to them at Austin Lighthouse. My hope is that this will be the beginning of a larger effort to bring awareness to the community of how we can make our city more accessible to the visually impaired. They have gotten lost throughout the pandemic and deserve access to all the resources and information that the sighted community has.”
7:11 p.m. – Austin Public Health says it has 4,000 appointments available with zero people in its online waiting room.
6:10 p.m. – Travis County reported another death from COVID-19 on Thursday along with 107 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 79,324 cases and 818 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 77,473 people have recovered from the virus.
Travis County currently has 141 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 54 in the ICU and 29 on ventilators.
6 p.m. – Up to 34% of the 16+ population of Texas has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 4 million Texans are now fully vaccinated. In Central Texas, Blanco and Mason counties both have 40% of their 16+ population with at least one dose.
5:50 p.m. – Hays County reported another death from COVID-19 on Thursday, a Buda man in his 60s. Health officials also reported 38 new confirmed cases along with five new hospitalizations and four new hospital discharges. There are four additional people considered recovered.
5:20 p.m. – Austin FC said its entire first team roster, coaching and soccer operations staff have received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at St. David’s Performance Center. St. David’s HealthCare administered the first doses of the vaccinations on Thursday. St. David’s will oversee the second doses to first team players and Austin FC coaching and soccer operations staff on Monday, April 26, 2021.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: