Austin warns about a “catastrophe” when Texas becomes the center of the pandemic again

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For Covid-19 cases Exponentially soaring Austin area officials have warned of a “catastrophe” as Texas becomes once again the center of the pandemic as the hospital’s intensive care unit capacity has dropped to single digits.

Austin Municipality I issued an urgent message finished Their emergency notification system On Saturday, begging residents to stay home, wear masks and get vaccinated.

This appeal takes place just days after Austin Public Health raises risk-based guidance to Stage 5. The highest layer possible.

“The situation is critical,” said Desmer Walks, health official in Austin Travis County, in a statement. “Our hospitals are so stressed that there is little we can do to ease their burden in a surge in cases.”

Texas Trauma Service Area Including Austin Only 6 ICU beds available, 499 available hospital beds and 313 available ventilators – a surprising resource depletion for a population of about 2.4 million.

In Austin’s Metropolitan Statistical Area, 510 Covid patients are currently hospitalized, 184 are hospitalized in the ICU, and 102 are hospitalized. I’m using a respirator..

About one-third The percentage of recent hospitalizations is emphasized for patients under the age of 50 Serious threat of delta variants To young Texas people who opposed vaccination.

“In our hospital system, bed availability and critical care are very limited, not only for Covid-19 patients, but also for those in need of treatment,” Walks said. “Communities must come together again to stop the disaster.”

Overall, Texas is currently ranked second only to Florida, with the highest daily average of Covid-19 cases. Infections have increased by 134% in the last 14 days. And between early February and mid-July, about 99.5% of Texas people who died from the virus were unvaccinated. Texas Tribune reported..

In Travis County, Austin, nearly 64% of children and adults over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated, compared to about 53% of the state as a whole.However, in some neighboring counties and suburbs, vaccination rates Even lower From the state average.

Recently, in Bexer County, San Antonio, the average daily case load has skyrocketed by more than 300%. According to the New York Times..When Infectious diseases are also increasing rapidly In Harris County, Houston, about 56% are vaccinated over the age of 12, with an average 14-day test positive rate. What a 17.7%..

Meanwhile, local officials who wanted to implement proven public health measures to mitigate the spread were thwarted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Vaccine and mask obligations..

But some civil servants, such as Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, simply disobeyed Abbott’s orders. Despite the threat of retaliation..

“The governor is preventing the city from keeping children and adults safe,” said Austin city councilman Alison Alter. Told the New York Times.. “He will bring many deaths to his hands here. This is a matter of life and death for our community.”

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