AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer active.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 May 6 live blog.
COVID-19 Numbers:
- Texas: There are more than 33,000 cases in the state, which increased by more than 1,000 Tuesday, and more than 900 people in Texas have died.
- Central Texas Counties:
- Travis County: More than 1,800 cases have been reported and at least 58 people have died.
- Williamson County: More than 340 cases have been reported and at least 12 people have died.
- Hays County: There have been more than 180 cases reported in the county and at least one person has died.
Top Headlines:
- Texas barbershops, salons may reopen May 8; gyms reopen May 18, Gov. Abbott says
- Austin, Travis County to extend 'Stay Home, Work Safe' orders
- Texas sets record for largest gain of COVID-19 cases over a two-day period since pandemic began
- Changes coming to Texas Workforce Commission | Q&A with TWC on reopening business, finding jobs and catching fraud
- Am I supposed to wear a mask now in Austin-Travis County?
- Austin mayor Steve Adler says he's 'concerned' about second spike in COVID-19 cases
- LIST: Confirmed Central Texas coronavirus cases by county
Updates:
6:45 p.m. – H-E-B and Favor Delivery are showing appreciation for nurses in honor of National Nurses Week by donating more than 4,000 flowers and plants to nurses serving on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.
H-E-B said it teamed up with local Texas growers to send the gifts to nurses at more than 20 hospitals across the state.
6:10 p.m. – Travis County is reporting 70 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to 1,946 cases. There have been 57 deaths from the virus in the county, while at least 617 people have recovered.
While Travis County reported 58 deaths on Tuesday, a spokesperson said one of the deaths was unfortunately double counted when the total count was sent. This has now been revised.
4:45 p.m. – Hays County is reporting 12 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, along with one new hospitalization. A total of 195 cases have been reported.
As of May 6, the Hays County Local Health Department has received 1,776 negative test results.
At least 117 people have recovered from the virus in Hays County. According to the county, there have been 19 total hospitalizations, with eight still hospitalized as of May 6.
4:10 p.m. – Gov. Greg Abbott and the OneStar Foundation have announced the Texas COVID Relief Fund to provide funding and resources to organizations across the state working to support the economic recovery of local communities.
Abbott said funds raised will be distributed through grants focused on community and economic development, health care and education.
For more information or to make a donation, visit the OneStar Foundation website.
4 p.m. – Austin musicians have shown their appreciation for frontline workers in a special video message for Nurses Appreciation Day on Wednesday.
The Austin Texas Musicians' Advisory Panel members put together the message of gratitude for all heath care and service workers keeping the community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RELATED:
3 p.m. – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has received $5.8 million in federal funds to provide crisis counseling services to Texans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Greg Abbott said on Wednesday.
"I thank our partners at FEMA for providing this important funding to help Texans across the state," said Abbott. "As Texas continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are working to provide Texans with access to the mental and emotional support resources they need."
Abbott said the funds allow 31 local mental health authorities to connect Texans to short-term crisis counseling services, including stress reduction, emotional support, assisting survivors in recovery, healthy coping strategies and referrals to other disaster recovery programs.
For more information on the program, call 211 or visit the Mental Health & Substance Use Resources website.
1:58 p.m. – The City of San Marcos has started accepting applications for funding through a $425,261 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for Coronavirus Response. Applications are accepted through May 20.
To be eligible, companies or organizations must satisfy a national CDBG program objective, which could include responding to the economic effects or health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The application can be found on the City of San Marcos' website.
1:06 p.m. – Beginning May 18, Texas State Parks will allow limited overnight camping, according to a press release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Availability will depend on individual park occupancy. TPWD says some existing reservations will be honored, but the parks are not accepting new reservations at this time. You can learn more about the change here.
12:05 p.m. – Williamson County announced its 12th COVID-19 death, a man in his 90s. It also saw an increase of 8 new cases, bringing the total to 341.
11:47 p.m. – On Thursday, Austin councilmembers will vote whether to approve a program that would help sustain small and local nonprofit organizations and businesses using a portion of federal dollars designated for pandemic-related relief and partner in the creation of a regional Economic Response Dashboard. The resolution is sponsored by councilmembers Jimmy Flannigan, Alison Alter, Natasha Harper-Madison and Paige Ellis. You can read more about the agenda item here.
11:39 a.m. – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing the Austin Housing Authority over $825,000 to assist families and employees throughout the pandemic. This funding has been made available by the CARES Act legislation, and $20,958,726 is to be split by 164 Texas Housing Authorities. A list of all Housing Authorities across the nation receiving aid can be found here.
Check back on this live blog for the latest updates Wednesday.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
- Family celebrates parents' 75th anniversary with a parade outside Round Rock retirement home
- US passes 1.2 million COVID-19 cases, 70,000 deaths
- Gyms can reopen on May 18 with 25% occupancy, Gov. Greg Abbott says
- VERIFY: CDC did not lower or revise the COVID-19 death count by 30,000 cases
- Some nursing home staff worked with coronavirus symptoms, says state official
- Livestreams and virtual tip jars: How Austin musicians are coping during the pandemic
- $12 million will go toward getting you a new career