Central Texas’ COVID-19 rates have been relatively unchanged during the past three weeks, while monkeypox cases continue to grow, according to health officials.
Travis, Williamson and Bastrop counties all remain in the medium level for COVID-19 spread, while Hays and Caldwell counties have been in the high category. The difference in these federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention levels locally are not transmission levels — that number of cases per 100,000 people. The difference among counties is in the percentage of new admissions to hospitals that are people with COVID-19 and the percentage of staffed in-patient beds filled by those patients.
In Travis County, the transmission rate declined this week to 265.16. It was 280.62 last week. The new admissions per 100,000 people rose to 9.7 from 9.5. If that number were to rise to 10, Travis County would go into the high level category. The percentage of hospital beds occupied by people with COVID-19 rose to 5.3% from 4.6%. A rate of 10% or above puts the county in the high range.
Williamson and Bastrop counties share the same hospital numbers as Travis County. The transmission rate in Williamson County is 331.55 (down from 335.52 last week), and in Bastrop County, the transmission rate is 304.32 (down from 316.66 last week).
Meanwhile in Caldwell and Hays counties, the number of new admissions to hospitals with COVID-19 rose to 13.5 per 100,000 people, up from 13.3 last week and the percentage of staffed hospital beds in use by COVID-19 patients has risen to 8.6% from 7%. That new admissions number is what puts those counties in the high level.
The transmission rate in Hays County was 394.02, down from 395.33. In Caldwell County, the transmission rate was 476.35, up from 473.39 last week.
The counties’ transmission rates count only cases that have been recorded through clinics, pharmacies and health departments, not cases confirmed by home tests.
What does it mean to be at a medium level of COVID-19 spread?
At the medium level of community spread, CDC guidelines are that for people who up-to-date with their vaccines, including boosters, taking precautions are optional when gathering, dining and shopping, but you should wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. Under the medium level, people who are at higher risk or who are not vaccinated or not up-to-date in their vaccines are advised to use precautions while gathering, dining and shopping.
“We need everyone to do their part, especially those who are at higher risk,” Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority, has said previously. “Wear a mask inside when gathering with others. We know that this will help protect loved ones at risk for poor outcomes and our hospital system.”
What does it mean to be at a high level of COVID-19 spread?
For areas that are classified as being at a high level of community spread, CDC guidelines are that everyone, even if up-to-date on vaccinations, including boosters, should take precautions such as social distancing and wearing masks when gathering, shopping or dining.
COVID-19 in Central Texas:Two counties reach the high level of COVID-19 spread
Monkeypox cases rising
Austin Public Health reported Friday that Travis County has nine confirmed cases of monkeypox and 32 presumed cases. A confirmed case means that the person has tested positive and the CDC has confirmed that test result. A presumed case means a person has tested positive, but the CDC has not yet confirmed that test.
Last week, Travis County reported the same number of confirmed cases but only 20 presumed cases. The week before, there were eight confirmed cases and nine presumed cases. The first presumptive case in the county was on June 24.
Williamson County has four presumed cases, but no confirmed cases. The 11-county Public Health Region of which Austin is a part is reporting 41 confirmed cases since the outbreak began.
There are now 315 confirmed monkeypox cases in Texas and 4,907 cases in the United States.
The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global emergency last week. The United States leads the world in number of cases.
“Monkeypox is a virus that is causing illness in our community and is a growing concern,” Walkes, the Austin-Travis County health authority, said earlier this month.
In Travis County and throughout the U.S., many of the cases have been in men who have had sex with other men, but that doesn’t mean the disease is confined to gay or bisexual men.
“There is spread in our community between people regardless of what group they come from,” Walkes said. “We should take precautions at all demographic levels in our community.”
How is monkeypox spread?
The disease spreads from person to person in these ways:
- Direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs or bodily fluids.
- Respiratory secretions with face-to-face contact during activities such as kissing, cuddling or having sex.
- Touching items such as clothing or linens that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids. Monkeypox can live on surfaces for 15 days. It’s important to use CDC-approved cleaning supplies if you have had monkeypox in your home.
- Pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.
To prevent the spread, isolating a person with monkeypox is key as well as notifying anyone they have come in contact with of their exposure.
Get the facts:What to know about monkeypox in Austin
What are monkeypox’s symptoms?
Symptoms of monkeypox can include:
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Muscle aches and backache.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Chills.
- Exhaustion.
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters. It can be on the face, inside the mouth and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals or anus.
The rash is key. Austin Public Health is not advising physicians to request monkeypox tests unless a patient has a rash.
Once a test is positive, there are antivirals to treat the virus and reduce the possibility of it becoming severe.
How long does monkeypox last?
Monkeypox can take up to 21 days from initial exposure to the rash developing, according to the CDC. Usually, the other symptoms will come first and the rash comes about one to two days later.
Once the rash develops, a person is usually infectious for between two and four weeks, the CDC said. While you have the rash, you are contagious until the entire rash has gone and new skin has formed. People should use condoms for 12 weeks after that.
What about the monkeypox vaccine?
There is one. Texas has received 14,000 doses. Travis County has asked for 5,000.
Austin Public Health is allocating doses for people who have had a sexual partner in the past 14 days who has been diagnosed with monkeypox or had multiple sexual partners in the past 14 days in a jurisdiction with known monkeypox cases. Vaccines are being prioritized for people at risk for severe disease such as being immune-compromised or having HIV.
You can call your doctor or the Austin Public Health’s Equity Line at 512-972-5560 for information on getting vaccinated or tested.
