300 more die of COVID-19 statewide, 6 more in Central Texas

(KWTX) - The state reported a near-record number of COVID-19 deaths Thursday while the regional death toll rose to more than 120 and the area case count increased to nearly 12,000 including a custodian for the Waco ISD, which revealed Thursday that 32 of its employees have tested positive for the virus since June.

McLennan County reported Thursday two more residents diagnosed with COVID-19 have died and additional deaths were also reported in Bell, Hamilton, Hill and Navarro counties, increasing the Central Texas death toll to at least 121, according to revised state data based on death certificates and county of residence.

Based on revised state data, the virus has claimed the lives of 33 Bell County residents, 12 more than the local count of 21; two Bosque County residents; five Coryell County residents, one more than the local count; three Falls County residents; three Hamilton County residents; six Hill County residents; two Lampasas County residents; two Leon County residents; three Limestone County residents; 49 McLennan County residents, six fewer than the local count of 55; three Milam County residents; eight Navarro County residents, five fewer than the local count of 13; and two Robertson County residents, one fewer than the local count.

The statewide death toll rose by 306 Thursday, just shy of the one-day record of 313 reported on July 29, to 7,803.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 7,598 new cases of the virus Thursday, increasing the total to 467,485.

Of that number, 135,878 cases were active Thursday and 323,804 patients have recovered.

Statewide, hospitalizations dropped from 8,455 Wednesday to 8,302 Thursday and the number of patients hospitalized in the two Trauma Service Regions that include most of Central Texas rose by nine to 141.

About 3.95 million tests have been administered statewide, and the state’s positivity rate rose Thursday to 17.05% from 15.58% on Wednesday.

Four of the state’s 254 counties still have not reported any confirmed cases of the virus.

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BELL COUNTY

Bell County reported 52 new cases Thursday, increasing the total to 3,679.

Bell County Public Health District officials also reported another death, a Killeen woman in her 70s, increasing the county’s toll from the virus to 21, according to local data.

The state’s revised data, based on death certificates and county of residence, show 33 Bell County residents diagnosed with the virus have died, 12 more than the local count.

A total of 2,363 patients have recovered.

State figures, which include Fort Hood personnel who live on post, rose by 53 to 3,733 Thursday.

Residents younger than 60 continue to drive the increase, health district Director Dr. Amanda Robison-Chadwell said Thursday.

The Bell County Health District reported 20 deaths earlier including a Killeen man in his 50s in ICU died who died on April 8, a Temple man in his 60s in intensive care who died on April 6 who died on April 6, a Temple woman in her 80s who had been diagnosed with the virus died on March 26; woman in her 90s who was a resident of West Inn Nursing and Rehabilitation whose death was announced on May 30; a resident of Weston Inn Nursing and Rehabilitation whose death was announced on June 3; a woman in her 60s who was a resident of Weston Inn whose death was reported on June 9, a woman in her 70s who was transferred on June 1 from Weston Inn Nursing and Rehabilitation to Scott & White Medical Center died on June 14; two men in their 80s whose deaths were reported on June 17, both of whom were residents of Weston Inn Nursing & Rehabilitation in Temple; a man in his 60s whose was reported on June 19 who also was a former resident of Weston Inn; a woman in her 50s with underlying conditions whose death was reported on June 22; a man in his 90s who died on June 25; a Killeen woman in her 80s whose death was reported on June 29; a Bell County man in his 20s who died outside of the county whose death was reported on July 10; a Bell County man in his 70s whose death was reported on July 15; A Temple man in his 90s whose death was reported on July 17; a Killeen man in his 70s whose death was reported on July 17; a Killeen woman in her 70s whose death was reported on July 19; a man in his 80s who was a resident of the Indian Oaks Living Center in Harker Heights whose death was reported on July 29, and a Harker Heights man in his 60s who had battled the virus since June whose death was reported on Aug. 4.

MCLENNAN COUNTY

McLennan County reported 98 new cases Thursday, raising the county’s total to 4,847.

The county also reported two more deaths, a 67-year-old man and a 90-year-old man, increasing the county’s death toll to 55, according to local data.

State data, based on death certificates and county of residence, set the county’s death toll at 49.

Of the total cases, 1,884 were active and 2,907 patients have recovered.

Sixty five patients were hospitalized Thursday, 15 of them on ventilators.

Forty nine of the 65 are McLennan County residents.

Nine of the new cases involve residents whose ages range from 1 to 10; nine involves residents ranging in age from 11 to19; 14 involve residents in their 20s; 22 involve residents in their 30s; 12 involve residents in their 40s. 15 involve residents in their 50s; 11 involve residents whose ages range from 60 to 64; three involve residents ranging in age from 65 to 69; two involve residents whose ages range from 70 to 74, and one involves a resident who’s 80 or older.

Among the most recent cases is one involving a Waco ISD employee who works at Tennyson Middle School, WISD Chief of Staff Kyle DeBeer confirmed Thursday.

“I can’t identify specific employees who have tested positive, but since June, we have had 32 employees diagnosed with COVID-19,” he said.

“That includes several employees who are off-contract (or don’t) work over the summer,” he said.

“That said, there are members of our custodial staff who have reported testing positive for COVID-19 since the start of June.”

The Waco ISD won’t start the new school year until after Labor Day.

Free COVID-19 testing with no registration required will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 13 to Aug. 15 at the Highlander Gym on the McLennan Community College Campus.

The county earlier reported 53 deaths.

Among the first to die of the virus in the county were G.W. Carver Middle School Principal Phillip Perry, who died of complications from the virus on March 31; a 61-year old McLennan County man whom a neighbor found dead on April 8; a 69-year-old man who died on April 9 at a local hospital, and a 66-year-old resident whose death was announced on April 22.

The others include a 46-year-old man with no apparent underlying issues who died June 18 in a Waco hospital, a 44-year-old man who died on June 23 in a local hospital; a 53-year-old man who died on June 28 at a local hospital; an 89-year-old man who died on June 29 at a local hospital; an 87-year-old man who died June 29 at a local hospital; a 62-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man whose deaths were reported on July 4; a 71-year-old woman and a 76-year-old man whose deaths were reported on July 6; a 72-year-old man whose death was reported on July 8; a 41-year-old woman whose death was reported on July 9; a 93-year-old woman who died on July 11 at a local hospital; a 42-year-old woman who died July 12 at a local hospital; a 73-year-old man who died on July 13 at his home; an 87-year-old woman who died on July 14 at a local hospital; an 87-year-old woman who died late on July 15 at a local long term care facility; a 75-year-old man who died on July 16 at a local hospital; a 66-year-old man who died July 17 at a local hospital; a 69-year-old woman, whose death was reported on July 18; an 82-year-old woman whose death was reported on July 18; a 97-year-old woman whose death was reported on July 21, and a 43-year-old man and two 88-year-old men whose deaths were reported on July 22.

The county reported a single-day record of four deaths on July 23, a 52-year-old woman, a 70-year-old woman, a 97-year-old woman and an 83-year-old woman.

The county reported three more deaths on July 24, a 70-year-old woman, an 84-year-old woman and a 55-year old man, raising the death toll from the virus to 35, an increase of 13 since July 17.

The death of a 55-year-old woman was reported on July 27.

On July 28, the county reported three more deaths from the virus, a 72-year-old man, an 84-year-old man and a 91-year-old man.

The deaths of a 75-year-old man, an 87-year-old woman and an 84-year-old woman were reported on July 29.

On July 30, the county reported the deaths of an 83-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman.

The death of an 81-year-old man was reported on July 31.

Health officials reported the death of a 66-year-old woman on Aug. 1 and the deaths of a 62-year-old woman and a 90-year-old woman on Aug. 2.

On Aug. 3 the deaths of a 62-year-old woman, a 77-year-old man and an 84-year-old woman, were reported.

On Aug. 5, health officials reported the deaths of a 69-year-old man and an 87-year-old man.

CORYELL COUNTY

Coryell County’s local report, which wasn’t updated again Thursday, still showed 382 cases, 285 of which were active.

Ninety three patients have recovered and four residents diagnosed with the virus have died.

The state’s count, which includes state prison inmates, rose by 18 to 654 with 442 recoveries.

The county's death toll is five, according to state data, but according to local data the virus has claimed four lives in the county including a Copperas Cove man in his 70s who died on April 9 at Advent Hospital in Killeen, to which he was admitted on April 2; a Copperas Cove man in his 60s who was diagnosed with the virus on April 5; a Copperas Cove man whose death was reported on July 8, and a Gatesville man in his 60s whose death was reported on July 12.

LIMESTONE COUNTY

Limestone County’s total rose by eight to 209 Thursday.

A total of 1114 patients have recovered.

Three Limestone County residents have died of the virus, according to state data.

The first was a Mexia woman in her late 50s to early 60s with underlying health conditions who died on March 31 at Parkview Regional Hospital in Mexia after she was diagnosed with COVID-19.

NAVARRO COUNTY

Navarro County reported an additional death and 10 additional cases Thursday, increasing the total number to 841.

The county has another 140 probable cases.

Of the total, 156 cases were active and 812 patients have recovered.

Eight patients were hospitalized Wednesday.

The county is now reporting 13 deaths from the virus, but according to state data, eight Navarro County residents diagnosed with the virus have died.

OTHER COUNTIES

According to the latest figures Thursday, Bosque County was reporting 152 cases, an increase of 16, with 70 recoveries. Revised state data based on death certificates showed two deaths in the county.A Clifton ISD school band member has tested positive for COVID-19, the district’s superintendent, Andy Ball, said in a letter to parents Tuesday. The student last had contact on campus with band students and staff on July 31, Ball wrote. The district is suspending all band practices until Aug. 10 and is taking steps to sanitize any facilities in which the student may have been.

Falls County had 123 confirmed cases Thursday, an increase of nine, and 66 recoveries. State data showed three deaths.

Freestone County was reporting 150 cases Thursday, an increase of eight, with 93 recoveries.

Hamilton County was reporting 57 cases and 44 recoveries Thursday. A third county resident has died of the virus, according to state data.

Hill County reported 313 confirmed cases and 185 recoveries Thursday. One more resident diagnosed with the virus has died, increasing the county’s toll to six, according to the revised state data.

Lampasas County reported 88 cases of the virus and 47 recoveries Thursday. Two residents of the county diagnosed with the virus have died, according to state data.

Leon County reported 138 cases and 107 recoveries Thursday. Revised state figures show two have died.

Milam County reported 333 cases Thursday with 306 recoveries. Twenty four cases were active. Three Milam County residents diagnosed with the virus have died, according to both state and local data. One patient was hospitalized.

Mills County reported 16 cases with eight recoveries Thursday.

Robertson County reported 236 confirmed cases Thursday. Of that number, 125 cases were active and 111 patients have recovered. One resident of the county diagnosed with the virus has died, according to local data. The state reports two deaths.

San Saba County reported 23 cases and 11r ecoveries Thursday.

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(Rissa Shaw contributed to this story)

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