Hospitals report more COVID-19 cases from bars, gyms, car dealerships

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – The surge in COVID-19 cases continues with an additional 412 new cases reported Friday in Bexar County. That brings the total since the pandemic started to 5,962.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported four more deaths bringing that total to 96. The latest victims were women ranging in age from the 60s to the 90s.

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals also rose to 322. More than a hundred are in intensive care and 50 are on ventilators. That leaves 25 percent  of staffed hospital beds and 78% of ventilators available.

That prompted Mayor Ron Nirenberg to issue a warning concerning Father’s Day.

“The best thing you can give Dad this weekend is to continue to work on physical distancing and call him. Don’t host a get-together in the home,” said  Nirenberg.

Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger says they have enough hospital beds and ventilators now, but if COVID-19 cases continue to escalate at the current rate, they may have a problem.

She said they expected to see a spike 10-14 days after Memorial Day and the reopening of bars, but they weren’t expecting the numbers to be this high.

“I don’t think any of us fully understood the extent to which the spike would be as serious as it is,” she said.

SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas opened this weekend, but she’s not as concerned about outdoor activities  as she is about indoor spaces where people can’t be at least six feet apart. She’s especially concerned about bars

“People are not maintaining social distance. They’re not wearing masks. It’s just irresponsible when people go in there and act like COVID-19 does not exist, and that’s the single biggest worry that I have right now because I think that’s where we’re seeing the majority of our cases,” said Bridger.

She said the new hospital cases are younger. The mayor said he talked to hospital CEOs  and was told that they’re seeing more cases from bars, gyms and car dealerships.

“So if you’re in one of those places, it’s incumbent upon you to do what you need to do. Wear a mask and maintain physical distance,” said Nirenberg.

 

 

 

 

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