Here's the place to come for the latest coronavirus-related news from the Coastal Bend. Check here often throughout the day for updates about our area and its response to this extraordinary, life-changing event.
You will find the latest information at the top of the story and all previous reported information below. We hope that including all these reports in one place will paint a more complete picture of the local response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The daily weekday live-stream briefings from city and council officials have been changed to weekly. The weekly briefings will be live streamed on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. until further notice. Texas A&M officials provide their demographics model analysis during reports from City Hall each Friday at 3 p.m. You can watch all of these events on kristv.com.
Daily updates will continue to be provided via press releases and be updated here in our live blog.
6/21 updates:
4:25 - Nueces county reports 36 new cases.
According to officials, 17 of those cases are currently hospitalized with 4 in the intensive care unit.
Out of 633 total positive coronavirus cases in the county, 238 have recovered and 6 have died.
14,501 tests have been conducted in the county so far.
2 p.m. A second Corpus Christi Independent School District employee has tested positive for COVID-19.
The district says it was told late Saturday afternoon of the tests results and immediately notified those who could have been exposed.
6/20 update:
Brooks County and Refugio County each report one new case.
A Kleberg Co. deputy has tested positive for coronavirus.
7:20 p.m. - A part-time City of Kingsville employee who works at the L. E. Ramey Golf Course has tested positive for COVID-19.
6:15 p.m. - An additional Nueces Co. Employee has tested positive for COVID-19 along with four county employee dependents. Read the full story here.
Additionally, one more employee and one resident at the Nueces County Regional Juvenile Facility has tested positive.
That brings their total number of cases to 3.
5:37 p.m. - According to Ben Castle, a representative from Driscoll Children's Hospital, the 8 Driscoll Hospital employees that have tested positive for COVID-19 are not necessarily from clinical positions.
That number is combined from all their locations and offices across South Texas.
DCH has 2,500 employees working in specialty centers, clinics, and health plan offices across South Texas.
They serve 31 South Texas counties.
Still no word on what offices those 8 employees work in or what their positions are at this time.
5 p.m. - Saturday, Nueces Co. reports 49 new cases of COVID-19.
4:30 p.m. - Driscoll children's hospital has confirmed eight employees have tested positive for COVID-19 recently.
Details on the locations and departments of those employees have not been released.
Be sure to stick with KRIS 6 for the latest information, as we learn more.
6/19 updates:
9:20 p.m. An employee of the Nueces County Appraisal District has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
4:22 p.m. Nueces Co. is reporting 63 new cases Friday and 12 new recoveries. 502 tests have been conducted since yesterday.
4:10 p.m. An employee at the Robstown H-E-B has been diagnosed with COVID-19. The employee was last in the store Tuesday. All store employees have been notified, according to a news release, and the store has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
10:08 a.m. Kleberg County officials say their COVID-19 cases count has been increased to 24. The Texas Department of State Health Services informed them a man in his 50’s who is now in isolation after testing positive for the coronavirus. Kleberg County currently has six active cases.
6/18 updates:
6:55 p.m. A Corpus Christi Fire Department firefighter has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Nineteen of that firefighter's colleagues will also be isolated through June 29. The isolation includes two shifts out of an abundance of caution.
5:20 p.m. Nueces County added 13 cases for a total of 65 cases reported Thursday. The county's total is now 485. Thursday's daily count surpasses any daily count reported by the County since testing began in March.
5 p.m. Nueces County reports 52 new cases bringing its total to 472; 219 have recovered. Nineteen are in the hospital.
4:20 p.m. Nueces Co. Attorney Laura Jimenez reported on her Facebook page that she has been diagnosed with COVID-19. The post said her office remains accessible remotely. The county reported five employees had been diagnosed with the virus on Wednesday, and a state employee was diagnosed Thursday. A news release from county spokeswoman Maggie Turner states that employee conducts business with courthouse employees, but does not work inside the building. The courthouse remains open.
4 p.m. San Patricio confirms four new cases. The total cases count is now 66. Forty patients have recovered, however one person is hospitalized.
2:13 p.m. Nueces Co.-Corpus Christi Public Health District Asst. Health Director Dante Gonzalez confirmed a fifth county death. The man was in his 80s, and had been hospitalized recently with the illness.
1 p.m. Kleberg Co. Judge Ridy Madrid announced three more positive COVID-19 cases in that county.
6/17 updates:
8:30 p.m. Jim Wells County received confirmation of two (2) additional COVID-19 cases bringing its total to 21. Both were men, 1 in his 30's, the other in his 20's.
5:30 p.m. During a press briefing at City Hall, City Manager Peter Zanoni said the fireworks show for the 4th of July Celebrations will continue , however, the in-person activities planned for that day have been canceled.
5 p.m. Nueces County is reporting 29 new cases bringing its total to 420. 213 are recovered however 203 cases are active. The number of hospitalizations has risen to 18 with 3 in ICU. City Manager Peter Zanoni says the age group contributing the most to daily cases is 20 to 39 years.
3:30 p.m. Aransas County is reporting one additional case for a total of 7. 5 of those have recovered.
3:12 p.m. Nueces Co. Judge Barbara Canales tested negative for COVID-19 on Wednesday. She was tested after possibly being exposed at work and at home, self-quarantined and was tested. A statement from Nueces Co. said the judge will continue to self-quarantine for "the projected incubation period."
3:09 p.m. Nueces Co. District Attorney Mark A. Gonzalez issued a release stating anyone who enters his office will be required to wear a mask and sanitize their hands, effective immediately. Those without masks can call (361) 888-0411 for help.
2:43 p.m. H-E-B Plus on Saratoga is reporting that a second employee from that location has tested positive for COVID-19.
2:30 p.m. San Patricio is reporting three new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday. Of their current total of 62 overall reported cases, 37 people have recovered.
1:58 p.m. The golfer who self-reported a positive COVID-19 blood test after playing at Kingsville's L.E. Ramey Golf Course over the weekend has now received a negative swab test. The course closed Monday for extensive cleaning after the regular course user reported the positive antibody test result.
6/16 updates:
8 p.m. Jim Wells County received confirmation of one (1) additional COVID-19 case raising its total to 19.
4:30 p.m. Nueces County is reporting 31 additional cases on Tuesday bringing its total to 391. 213 have recovered. The County reported its 4th COVID-related death on Monday.
The percentage of testing postive is 3.06.
4 p.m. Brooks County is reporting one additional case raising its total of COVID cases to 32.
3:30 p.m. San Patricio is reporting one additional case raising its total to 59. 37 people have recovered.
6/15 updates:
7 p.m. Brooks County reported one additional COVID-19 case on Monday evening. This brings the county's total to 3. The patient is a man in his 60's.
5:50 p.m. Kingsville's L.E. Ramey Golf Course closed Monday for extensive cleaning after a regular user of the course reported they had been diagnosed with COVID-19. The golfer last was on the course Friday and Sunday. Free COVID-19 testing is available for residents from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the J.K. Northway Expo Center.
4:30 p.m. The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District received confirmation of the death of a Nueces County resident due to COVID-19. The patient was a male between the ages of 60 and 69. He tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalized mid-May. The patient was intubated but the family knew the patient did not wish to be in that condition and chose to honor his wishes. He passed quietly over the weekend.
Nueces County is reporting 24 new cases on Monday bringing its total to 360. 13 are in the hospital, 8 are in the ICU.
3:45 p.m. Aransas County has added one additional case to its total making it 6.
3:45 p.m. San Patricio County is reporting 10 new cases of COVID-19 bring its totals to 58. There are 38 recovered cases.
2:30 p.m Live Oak County has added one case to bring its total number to 10.
8 a.m. Brooks County Courthouse and Courthouse Annex are closed on Monday for disinfecting due to possible COVID-19 exposure. It will open again on Tuesday at 8 a.m.
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The previous live blog, and links to blogs all the way back from March can be foundhere.