Coronavirus in Texas 4/10: Austin creates $15 million relief fund; San Antonio loses $100 million in revenues

More than 13% of Texas nursing homes have at least one patient with coronavirus

[5 a.m.] More than 160 of the state’s 1,222 nursing homes, or about 13%, have at least one case of the new coronavirus, state officials said late Thursday. And 38 nursing home residents and staff members have died of COVID-19 statewide.

The disclosure came after The Texas Tribune reported that Texas was not disclosing comprehensive data on nursing home residents and staffers who have tested positive for the virus. Roughly 93,000 Texans live in licensed nursing homes throughout the state. — Edgar Walters

San Antonio sees a $100 million drop in revenues to the city

[5 a.m.] San Antonio’s city coffers have lost $100.9 million from a halt in commercial and tourist activities from the new coronavirus, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The decrease in revenues comes from the drops in retail sales, hotel room bookings, flights to the local airport and events in the Alamodome and the convention center.

The city has paused some street improvement projects and economic development incentives, furloughed 270 municipal employees in areas funded by hotel occupancy taxes and is expecting unemployment there might reach up to 14%, the paper reported. — Juan Pablo Garnham

Austin City Council approves $15 million in economic relief funds

[5 a.m.] The Austin City Council unanimously voted to use up to $15 million of the city’s reserves to assist people hit by the economic collapse caused by the new coronavirus, the Austin Statesman reports. The funds will be used to provide monetary assistance and pay for food services. It will be managed by Austin Public Health through local nonprofits. Health officials will begin reaching out to potential beneficiaries on Friday.

The City Council also approved contracts to with three hotels to house people that test positive for COVID-19 but can’t find a place to self-isolate or quarantine without putting their families or the public at risk, the paper reported. — Juan Pablo Garnham

More than 10,000 Texans have tested positive for the new coronavirus

[5 a.m.] On Friday afternoon, Texas officials are expected to release the latest number of people who have tested positive for the new coronavirus. According to numbers released Thursday, at least 10,230 people had tested positive. Also as of Thursday, 1,439 patients are known to be hospitalized in Texas. That was a decrease of 52 patients from Wednesday. At least 106,134 tests have been conducted. — Carla Astudillo