AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This live blog is no longer updating. To get the latest coronavirus updates in Central Texas, check out Sunday's live blog.
KVUE is keeping you updated with the latest coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, news in the Austin area.
Scroll down for the top headlines and latest updates in KVUE's April 18 live blog.
Top Headlines:
- Less than 1% of Travis County residents have been tested for coronavirus, state data reveals
- 'Why is this a mystery?' | Lawmaker pushes for locations of Texas nursing homes with coronavirus
- Gov. Abbott establishes strike force, lays out plan to reopen Texas businesses safely
- LIST: Confirmed Central Texas coronavirus cases by county
- Austin, Travis County lawmakers drafting local plan on reopening businesses
- Texas schools closed for remainder of 2019-2020 school year, Gov. Abbott says
Updates:
5:50 p.m. – Travis County is reporting two more deaths from COVID-19, with 23 total in the county. There are now 1,092 confirmed cases in Travis County – up 18 from Friday.
Austin-Travis County said 262 people have recovered from the virus.
For a breakdown of all confirmed cases in Travis County, visit the City of Austin's online dashboard.
5 p.m. – Fayette County is reporting 16 total confirmed cases of COVID-19. Two of those people have recovered from the virus in the county.
4:45 p.m. – Hays County is reporting four new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 125, with 70 active cases in the county.
4:30 p.m. – A group of protesters gathered at the Texas State Capitol on Saturday morning, rallying against the state's stay-at-home order. The protest was promoted by conspiracy platform InfoWars, which has called the virus a Chinese scheme to undermine President Donald Trump's reelection. Around 50 people attended.
PHOTOS: Protesters rally against stay-at-home orders at Capitol
1 p.m. – Capital Metro has received a donation of 40,000 surgical masks that will be used for its Customer Mask Distribution Pilot, which goes into effect on April 20.
12 p.m. – Williamson County is reporting 151 total positive COVID-19 cases. The county has had 90 recoveries as of April 18 and four deaths.
10:30 a.m. – The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce announced that $201,750 will be awarded to 67 businesses through the city's COVID-19 Small Business Resource Grant program.
Information on how businesses were scored can be found on the Georgetown Chamber's website.
9:30 a.m. – CommUnity Care Health Centers will begin offering drive-up testing on a rotating basis in eastern Travis County communities this week. Those communities include Colony Park, Austin's Colony/Hornsby Bend, Del Valle, Dove Springs, Manor and Pflugerville. On Monday, it will also open the Del Valle Health Center with modified hours.
CommUnity Care is now offering testing at Barbara Jordan Elementary School in Colony Park every Monday and Friday. It is also offering testing at Southeast Metropolitan Park in Del Valle. On Wednesday, it will begin drive-up testing at Manor Senior High School and is planning more testing locations. No appointment, insurance or payment is required for testing.
Major updates from Friday, April 17:
- Gov. Greg Abbott held a press conference to announce a plan that details the gradual reopening of businesses across Texas. After that announcement, the Austin Chamber said it supports the plan to reopen the economy.
- Travis County is now reporting 1,074 confirmed cases, 21 deaths and 244 recoveries.
- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said state parks will reopen on Monday for day use only, with overnight camping to be allowed at a later date.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
- Hotel occupancy down to 3.4% in Austin Central Business District from April 5-11
- Here's what we could've learned during Texas spring football
- Funeral workers concerned about not getting enough PPE during COVID-19 pandemic
- Austin gym ready to reopen first if federal guidelines allow
- Austin-Travis County coronavirus cases reach 1,074, 21 deaths
- State parks to reopen April 20 following Gov. Abbott's new executive order
- Texas judge issues order that could greatly expand mail-in voting
- What reopening Texas businesses could look like in Austin
- 2020 Cap10K registrants will be honored at 2021 race
- Central Texas nonprofits helping communities amid COVID-19 can now apply for St. David’s Foundation's $10M fund
- LIST: Drive-thru coronavirus testing in Austin area
- Your stimulus check questions: Do back taxes or unpaid child support affect your stimulus check?
- Texas nursing home deaths rise as families beg for information