Getty Demonstrators gather near the El Paso County Court House to protest the state's stay-at-home order on April 25.
On April 30, 2020, COVID-19 cases in Texas continued to increase, along with deaths from the novel coronavirus, while Texas simultaneously moves forward with plans to start opening the state on May 1. Here’s a breakdown of the cases and deaths and where Texas stands.
Texas Has 782 Deaths and More than 28,000 COVID-19 Cases
While cases in the United States currently stand at more than one million with more than 63,000 deaths, Texas is experiencing an increase in both right along with many other parts of the country.
Texas has reported 28,087 cases and 782 deaths as of April 30, 2020. An estimated 12,507 patients are reported as recovered, and there are 1,686 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals.
Total tests in Texas currently stand at 314,790. This graphic shows the total, as shared by Texas Health and Human Services.
Texas Health and Human Services
You can see the full dashboard, updated daily at 1 p.m. Central, here.
The trend is still showing an upward trajectory in cases and deaths in the state. On April 29, there were 42 new fatalities from COVID-19 in Texas (there were 27 new fatalities the day before.) Also on April 29, there were 883 new cases compared to 874 new cases the day before according to Texas Health and Human Services. These two graphs show trends in deaths and cases below. You can see the full graph here.
Texas Health and Human Services
The map below, provided by MappingSupport.com, shows ongoing trends of COVID-19 deaths per state. Red means the deaths are increasing and green means they are decreasing. A circle indicates trends for the prior 14 days and a triangle indicates trends for the prior seven days. You can see the full map here. In Texas, the trend is red for both seven days and 14 days.
According to the Texas Tribune, the rate of cases is very high in Donley and Moore counties especially, but testing is still low in rural areas. Harris County has the most total cases and deaths, followed by Dallas County, Tarrant County, and then Travis County.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is still letting the stay-at-home order expire in the state at the end of the week and letting some businesses reopen, KVUE reported. He said that worried people could still stay home if they wanted.
A KVUE reporter asked him about data saying Texas would not reach peak deaths until May 2.
Abbott said, in part: “Bottom line: the models have been proven ineffective and way wrong all along. And so, we’ve got to be careful about watching those models… My decision wasn’t just made off the top of my cuff. It was made based upon the input from doctors – four great doctors, including a former head of the FDA… We know that there are people in Austin and elsewhere who are afraid to go out. This is not an order that you have to go out. If you don’t want to go out, don’t go out.”
President Donald Trump’s original recommendation for reopening the country included that states should show a downward trajectory in documented cases and COVID-like symptoms within the last 14-day period before moving to Phase One of reopening the state.
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