The Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District reported Tuesday four COVID-19-linked deaths, 185 new cases and 100 recoveries since Thursday.
The city did not release data on Friday or Monday due to Christmas holidays.
The total number of county deaths connected to the coronavirus is 569.
Of the 185 new cases, 51 were reported Friday, 62 Monday and 72 Tuesday.
Active cases on Tuesday totaled 784 (230 based on polymerase chain reaction tests and 554 from antigen tests). A week ago, active cases numbered 691.
Hendrick Medical Center on Monday reported 34 COVID-19 inpatients, with seven in ICU. The breakdown by facilities was 28 inpatients at the Abilene hospitals (seven in ICU), and six inpatients at the Brownwood hospital.
Of the 34 Hendrick COVID-19 inpatients, 26 were not fully vaccinated.
The percentage of COVID-19 inpatients in the 16-county Abilene trauma service area was 4.35% of total capacity Monday, compared to 4.18% Sunday and 4.08% Saturday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services COVID-19 database.
The Abilene trauma service area Tuesday had 37 COVID-19 inpatients, two more than reported Monday. Two admissions had been made in the previous 24 hours.
Across Texas, active cases jumped from 150,851 on Monday to 161,615 on Tuesday. Hospitalizations also increased from Monday’s 3,965 to 4,431 the following day.
Coronavirus by the numbers
Abilene/Taylor County (updated Tuesday): New cases, 72; PCR cases, 10,065; active PCR cases, 230; total antigen probable cases, 14,359; total active antigen cases, 554; total PCR recoveries, 9,632; total antigen recoveries, 13,439; Total deaths, 564.
Texas (updated Tuesday): Total cases, 3,755,875; New cases, 10,880; Active cases (estimated), 161,615; Hospitalized, 4,431; Fatalities, 74,330; New fatalities, 68; Total tests, 50,417,862; Recovered (estimated), 4,292,127.
Big Country estimated active cases (as tracked by the state): Brown, 140; Scurry, 109; Erath, 93; Jones, 77; Eastland, 76; Callahan, 62; Howard, 60; Stephens, 47; Coleman, 33; Comanche, 32; Runnels, 27; Shackelford, 27; Coke, 16; Knox, 15; Haskell, 14; Mitchell, 13; Kent, 12; Nolan, 9; Fisher, 6; Stonewall, 3; and Throckmorton, 0.
Select West Texas counties estimated active cases: Lubbock, 1,931; Potter (Amarillo), 982; Randall (Canyon), 875; Ector (Odessa), 768; Midland, 668; Tom Green (San Angelo), 337; Wichita (Wichita Falls), 298; Hale (Plainview), 144; and Moore, 98.
Sources: City of Abilene, Texas Department of State Health Services (counts PCR cases only)
SELECT PRISONS (Monday update)
Daniel (Snyder): Staff cases – active, 0; Inmate cases – active, 1, medical isolation, 1.
Havins (Brownwood): Staff cases – active, 0; Inmate cases – active, 0, medical isolation, 0.
Middleton (Abilene): Staff cases – active, 6; Inmate cases – active, 1, medical isolation, 1.
Robertson (Abilene): Staff cases – active, 12; Inmate cases – active, 2, medical isolation, 2.
Sayle (Breckenridge): Staff cases – active, 2; Inmate cases – active, 0; medical isolation, 1.
Wallace (Colorado City): Staff cases – active, 0; Inmate cases – active, 7, medical isolation, 8.
Source: Texas Department of Criminal Justice COVID-19 website.
More: COVID-19: Monday update for Abilene, Taylor County, the Big Country
Laura Gutschke is a general assignment reporter and food columnist and manages online content for the Reporter-News. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.