COVID-19 hospitalizations at Texas Medical Center down 21% over past week

A total of 1,641 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized at Texas Medical Center facilities over the past week, a 21% decrease from the previous week, according to TMC affiliates in the nine-county Houston area. 

Since the pandemic began, 94,234 COVID-19-positive patients have been hospitalized at the center’s facilities, with a total of 84,038 patients discharged and COVID-19 deaths numbering 8,555. 

During the past week, the number of people who became infected in the Houston area from a single infected person was estimated at 0.80. An average of greater than one indicates an increasing spread of COVID-19, while a number below one indicates the spread of the virus is slowing, according to the medical center.

The average for daily new COVID-19 cases over the past week was 2,094, compared to 3,092 during the previous week, the medical center reported. And the average new daily COVID-19 hospitalizations for the past week stood at 211.