Mike Stucka | USA TODAY NETWORK
New coronavirus cases leaped in Texas in the week ending Sunday, rising 305.1% as 451,298 cases were reported. The previous week had 111,397 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Texas ranked 14th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 75.9% from the week before, with 4,967,431 cases reported. With 8.71% of the country’s population, Texas had 9.09% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 49 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
The New Year’s holiday weekend significantly disrupted who got tested, how many people got tested, what labs operated and what government agencies reported on time. Many of the New Year’s weekend reports were shifted into the latest week, and the previous week was disrupted by late reporting from the weekend of Christmas. Consequently, week-to-week comparisons will be skewed and these numbers will be unreliable even as they’re accurate to what states reported.
Wichita County reported 1,302 cases and eight deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 168 cases and three deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 24,333 cases and 556 deaths.
Young County reported 142 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 24 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 3,243 cases and 74 deaths.
Montague County reported 175 cases and three deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 42 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 3,463 cases and 102 deaths.
Clay County reported 52 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 14 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 1,696 cases and 26 deaths.
Archer County reported 142 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 31 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 1,540 cases and 24 deaths.
Wilbarger County reported 210 cases and four deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 38 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 2,801 cases and 76 deaths.
Within Texas, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Loving County with 14,201 cases per 100,000 per week; Jim Hogg County with 5,096; and Dimmit County with 3,674. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Adding the most new cases overall were Harris County, with 91,348 cases; Dallas County, with 40,943 cases; and Bexar County, with 37,757. Weekly case counts rose in 244 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Harris, Bexar and Dallas counties.
>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases
Texas ranked 29th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 67.7% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 74.3%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.
In the week ending Sunday, Texas reported administering another 888,858 vaccine doses, including 248,950 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 593,458 vaccine doses, including 149,965 first doses. In all, Texas reported it has administered 41,500,931 total doses.
Across Texas, cases fell in nine counties, with the best declines in Ochiltree County, with 26 cases from 47 a week earlier; in Hemphill County, with 37 cases from 56; and in Hansford County, with 31 cases from 48.
In Texas, 758 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 422 people were reported dead.
A total of 5,039,605 people in Texas have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 76,502 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 60,074,429 people have tested positive and 837,594 people have died.
>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States
Texas’s COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Jan. 9.
Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 17,903
- The week before that: 14,108
- Four weeks ago: 6,464
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 187,807
- The week before that: 147,897
- Four weeks ago: 91,573
Hospitals in 49 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 39 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 50 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at [email protected].
