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Coronavirus updates in Central Texas: Travis County now reporting 1,174 total cases, 26 deaths

Here are the latest COVID-19 updates, closures and postponements in Central Texas for Monday, April 20.

AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This live blog is no longer active. For the latest updates, check out our new live blog here.

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 20 live blog.

Top Headlines:

Updates:

10 p.m. – The Austin Transportation Department is changing signal timing so residents don't have to wait at a stoplight for as long as they would during normal traffic patterns. The City said it's doing this to help essential workers get to where they need to be faster.

6:50 p.m. – Travis County is now reporting a total of 1,174 confirmed coronavirus cases and a total of 26 deaths. Recoveries have risen to 293.

RELATED: LIST: Confirmed Central Texas coronavirus cases by county

5 p.m. – Gov. Abbott announces that the National Guard will be assisting in mobile COVID-19 testing.

4:55 p.m. – The Travis County Sheriff's Office releases data on its COVID-19 testing results:

  • Inmates: 14 negative tests, 2 pending
  • Law enforcement employees: 8 negative tests, 1 pending
  • Corrections employees: 11 negative tests, 2 positive
  • Administrative and support employees: 4 negative tests, 1 positive

4:40 p.m. – Hays County is now reporting 76 active positive cases of COVID-19. Though the county has had 135 lab-confirmed cases, at least 58 patients have recovered. The county has had one coronavirus-related death.

4:30 p.m. – Concordia University Texas has opened two residence halls free of charge to uniformed first responders and health care workers on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19. Those individuals may reserve one of the more than 120 single-occupancy rooms to rest between shifts and minimize any fear of exposing their homes to the virus.

4:15 p.m. – All Bastrop County parks will reopen, subject to recommended CDC social distancing guidelines, effective at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21. Playground facilities and other park improvements will remain closed to public use.

1 p.m. – After several days of asking about COVID-19 cases and deaths at a South Austin nursing home, the facility has confirmed that a staff member died.

12 p.m. – Williamson County now reporting 156 total cases and 99 recoveries. Four deaths have been reported.

RELATED: LIST: Confirmed Central Texas coronavirus cases by county

6 a.m. – Some Texas businesses will gradually begin to reopen starting Monday. This comes after Gov. Greg Abbott announced a phased plan on Friday that allows for some facilities and businesses to expand operations with consideration of social distancing.

WATCH: Texas protesters demand faster reopening of businesses

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: 

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