Coryell County reaches 158 positive cases of COVID-19

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

After two weeks of no new positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 within Copperas Cove, a Copperas Cove man in his 40s is among the three new cases added to the count by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

This brings the total number of cases in Coryell County to 158.

Of the 158 confirmed positive cases, 113 are inmates housed in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities within Coryell County.

The other 45 cases include 29 active cases, 14 recovered, and two deceased, according to the report posted on the Coryell County website.

Nine of the active cases include Copperas Cove residents.

The newest numbers were released on the first day of phase 1 of the “reopening” of Texas as ordered by Governor Greg Abbott.

As of today, retailers who are not identified as essential critical infrastructure workforce are permitted to re-open with restrictions, with dine-in restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, museums, and libraries permitted to open. Storefronts and other facilities are limited to operations of 25% of capacity.

Counties within Texas which have fewer than five confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 may reopen as above, but with 50% of capacity.

Social distancing practices and the use of hand sanitizer and hand washing are still encouraged.

Copperas Cove Fire Station #2 is serving as a mobile testing site on Monday, May 4, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Access to the testing site will be from the Grimes Crossing entrance to the Fire Station. Registration for testing begins no earlier than Sunday May 3, at 8 a.m.

Registration may be done at txcovidtest.org or by calling 512-883-2400. Persons who meet the screening criteria, must register and receive an appointment time.

As of Friday, May 1, there are 29,229 positive cases in the state of Texas, with 816 fatalities. An estimated 14,122 have recovered, according to the Texas DSHS dashboard which is updated daily. There are 1,778 presently being treated for COVID-19 in Texas hospitals. So far, 351,775 individuals have been tested for COVID-19 in the state.