The Houston Chronicle’s live updates blog documents the latest events in the coronavirus outbreak in the Houston area, the state of Texas and in the US with a focus on health and economic impacts.
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Total number of coronavirus cases:
• 334,586 cases in Texas, including 3,991 deaths.
• 79,894 in the Houston region, including 757 deaths.
• More than 3.7 million in the United States, including 140,534 deaths. Click here for a map of the US with state-by-state death tolls and coronavirus case counts.
• More than 14.5 million in the world, with more than 606,000 deaths. More than 7.7 million people have recovered. You can see the world totals here.
Resources on COVID-19 and the reopening of Texas: Use our interactive page to track the spread of cases throughout Harris County and the rest of Texas. For a detailed overview of our state, see the Chronicle’s Texas Coronavirus Map. For regular updates on our coverage, subscribe to our coronavirus newsletter.
Latest updates today:
2:25 pm:
After containing the layoffs during its 2019-20 season, which officially ended in late June, the Houston Ballet was no longer able to defend itself against the reality of lost revenue caused by the protracted COVID-19 pandemic. That means there are no “Nutcrackers” even for a shortened run this season., Molly Glentzer reports.
The company announced Monday that it has laid off 30 percent of its full-time staff and put its 61 dancers and more than 60 musicians on extended leave until it can perform again in a theater. Dancers and orchestra members always have a few weeks break between seasons, but this year it will extend without a specific return date. The dancers’ return, when it occurs, will be staggered for their safety, company spokesman Jacalyn Lawton said.
School district leaders in Greater Houston are asking their school boards this week to pass changes and resolutions in light of the revised state guidance on how districts can reopen campuses during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Shelby Webb.
Administrators at Fort Bend, Channelview, and Galveston ISD have asked their school boards to approve adjustments to their 2020-2021 school year calendars. Friendswood ISD Superintendent Thad Roher will ask his board to approve the district’s reopening plan. The Alvin ISD board will vote whether to add 15 minutes to the instructional days of high school students and whether to grant Superintendent Carol Nelson the authority to make changes to the calendar of the school year and the school day “as needed.”
Jim Blackburn and Isabelle Scurry Chapman have launched ‘Virus Vigil,’ a site that combines their love of words, art, and birds, to ease the pain of living in the Covid era, reports Molly Glentzer.
Blackburn has published a poem with a different bird every day since March 22, accompanied by Isabelle Chapman’s charming bird paintings. They didn’t know how long the pandemic would last, but they felt they had a decent bank of supplies to keep the practice going for a while.
11:30 am
Due to the coronavirus, the University of Texas is planning 50 percent capacity for home games, athletic director Chris del Conte said in a letter to season ticket holders, reports Reid Laymance.
Del Conte said that with 50 percent capacity, all season ticket holders would have seats to home games, though some would be relocated only to 2020.
Season ticket holders would have a chance to opt out of 2020, but keep their status and seat location for 2021.
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Monday predicted a $ 4.6 billion deficit by the end of the biennium as the state economy struggles to pull itself out of the coronavirus pandemic and recent volatility in the oil market, reports Jeremy Blackman.
The grim but unsurprising estimate of the budget comes after months of limited activity, even as state leaders curtailed social distancing measures designed to curb the spread of the virus.
“The economic contraction associated with COVID-19 has resulted in revenue collections this fiscal year that are much lower than our” previous projections, “Hegar said in a statement. He was prepared to testify later Monday morning before the Board. of Legislative Budget.
The revised budget perspective includes several caveats. It does not take into account the proposed savings that individual state agencies or additional federal stimulus dollars can achieve.
10:30 am
Tired of watching COVID-19 wreak havoc in Houston? Lisa Gray reports 14 ways you can counteract the disease, including donating blood and delivering food to older residents who need it.
10 am
Many people think that if they get COVID-19, they will die or make a full recovery, smoothly returning to their old lives as if they had a common cold or flu.
However, that is not always the case, reports Lisa Gray.
“That is wrong,” said Dr. Gerard Francisco, medical director of TIRR flatly.
It is still unclear how often COVID-19 will have permanent effects on its survivors; the virus has only been infecting humans for just over six months, after all, but a significant number will see lasting effects.
“Virtually all organ systems can be affected,” explained Francisco. “If not because of the virus itself, then because of the immune response.”
09:30 am
Well-known Houston restaurant owner Vincent “Bubba” Mandola died of COVID-19, his family announced Sunday, Julian Gill reports.
As part of a dynasty of local restaurant owners, Mandola, 77, is best known for opening a trio of restaurants on West Dallas Street, Nino’s, Vincent’s and Grappino’s, which became Houston’s favorites. He also owns Pronto Cucino in Montrose.
“The Mandola family has lost one of ours to Covid,” according to a family statement, shared on the Mandola’s Deli Facebook page. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, children, grandchildren, and brothers. Vincent’s many friends and cousins, including Frank, will miss him greatly … His loyal staff and clients will also miss him. “
9 am
The spike in COVID-19 cases since mid-May has weakened the ability of the Houston and Harris County health departments to investigate infected residents and find every person they might have been exposed to the virus, they said. Public health officials who lead the effort, reports Zach Despart and Todd Ackerman.
Delays of up to several weeks in receiving lab results, which sometimes contain poor or inaccurate contact information, mean that contact trackers often miss a critical window to warn potentially pre-symptomatic COVID carriers to isolate themselves from family, friends and coworkers: a crucial step to limit the spread of the virus.
In Fort Bend County, a mother, father, and brother died of the coronavirus within days, reports Brooke Lewis.
A family member, Alfonso Rodríguez Jr., describes the pain of losing three family members so quickly.
“” I kept thinking it was all like a bad dream, “said the 66-year-old man.” A nightmare “.
