New virus cases jump 40% in Texas, deaths up 50%

AUSTIN, Texas — The number of newly reported cases of the coronavirus in Texas took a jump Wednesday as state health officials reported 5,335 new cases, 40% more than the 3,812 cases reported Tuesday.

That raised the total Texas caseload since the state began coronavirus tracking in March to 748,767. Of those, 69,767 cases were active and 3,344 were hospitalized Wednesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported.

The true number of Texas cases is likely higher though because many people haven’t been tested and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.

The state also reported 107 new deaths from Covid-19, the illness caused by the virus. That’s a 51% increase from the 71 deaths reported Tuesday. The death toll in Texas is now at 15,711.

In El Paso on Wednesday, there were 2 more virus deaths and 273 new cases for the largest single-day surge in over a month.