COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
The COVID-19 pandemic in Texas is a part of the ongoing viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The state of Texas confirmed its first case on February 13, 2020, among U.S. nationals evacuated from China to Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland beginning in early February; however, retrospective analyses have suggested a much earlier origin than previously thought. The first documented case of COVID-19 in Texas outside of evacuees at Lackland was confirmed on March 4 in Fort Bend County, and many of the state's largest cities recorded their first cases throughout March. The state recorded its first death associated with the disease on March 17 in Matagorda County.
This article is about the pandemic in the state of Texas as a whole. For the pandemic in Austin, see COVID-19 pandemic in Austin, Texas.COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
Texas, U.S.
San Antonio (evacuee), Fort Bend County (non-evacuee)
March 4, 2020
2,401,898[1]
95,027[1]
2,840 (current)[1]
2,646,788[1]
47,725[2]
As of April 3, 2021, Texas has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the United States, behind California, and the 26th highest number of confirmed cases per capita. It has the third-highest number of deaths related to the virus, behind New York and California, and the 24th-highest count of deaths per capita.[3][4][5]
Although Texas had a higher concentration of cases, it had fewer deaths. As of late May 2021, there were 50,198 COVID-19 related deaths reported in that state. The death rate in Texas was 175 for every 100,000 people, while national COVID-19 death rate was 179 per 100,000.[6]
As of April 3, 2021, vaccination in Texas lagged behind the US average, with rates lower than in three of four neighboring states, having administered 12,565,129 COVID-19 vaccine doses, equivalent to 43,334 doses per-100,000 of the state's population.[7][8]
Epidemiology[edit]
The first positive test result for COVID-19 in Texas, outside of the evacuees quarantined at JBSA–Lackland from China and the Diamond Princess cruise ship, was reported by the DSHS on March 4 and involved a resident of Fort Bend County.[14][15] The patient was a man in his 70s and had traveled on the Nile River cruise ship MS A'sara in Egypt.[15][79] A total of 12 positive test results were reported in Fort Bend and Harris counties from travelers aboard the same ship.[80][81] The first case of possible community spread—where the source of infection is unknown—was reported by public health officials on March 11, involving a man in his 40s in Montgomery County; he had recently attended a barbecue at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on February 28.[26][27][82][83] The first death in Texas identified in connection with COVID-19 occurred on March 14 from a man in his 90s at the Matagorda Regional Medical Center; Matagorda County officials reported the death on March 15 and the DSHS confirmed it the following day.[84][37][85] According to the DSHS, the state exceeded 100 total cases of COVID-19 by March 19 and 1,000 cases by March 26.[1] By the end of March 2020, there were 3,266 known cases of COVID-19 and 41 fatalities in Texas, with nearly half of the state's counties reporting at least one case.[86] An analysis of the first month of COVID-19's spread in Texas, published in the Journal of Community Health, found that while the total case counts were highest in the state's metropolitan areas, the highest incidence rates of the disease per capita occurred in Donley County, with 353.5 cases per 100,000 people. The case fatality rate (CFR) was 10.3 percent in Comal County; high CFR counties had "a higher proportion of non-Hispanic Black residents, adults aged 65 and older, and adults smoking, but lower number of ICU beds per 100,000 population, and number of primary care physicians per 1000 population."[84]
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases confirmed by the DSHS reached 10,000 on April 9 and 100,000 on June 19. The number of confirmed fatalities eclipsed 100 on April 4 and 1,000 on May 9.[1] Counties that adopted shelter-in-place orders early showed a 19–26 percent decrease in COVID-19 case growth 2.5 weeks following the enactment of those orders according to an analysis published in the National Bureau of Economic Research. The same analysis found that such orders in urbanized counties accounted for 90 percent of attenuated case growth in the state by May.[87] A surge in new COVID-19 cases began in June with large increases in the state's major cities and within a younger population compared to the beginning of the pandemic.[88][89]
Economic and social impact[edit]
Crime[edit]
A survey conducted by KPRC-TV found an increase in homicide and car theft. In Houston the murder rate went up 39%. Law enforcement officials report a rise in fraud and identity theft as well and say they have been receiving more phone calls for assault, domestic violence, mental health related complaints and drug use. Police and psychologists have attributed the rise in crime to changes in behavior brought on by the extreme stress and anxiety of the pandemic. Some police officers blame bond reform too likening it to a "catch and release system". Police reported increased cooperation on investigating groups of individuals who travel from city to city committing robberies and other property crimes. Some jurisdictions have seen more cases of purse snatchings and people being followed from ATMs.[141]