HOUSTON — Mayor Sylvester Turner said that while the number of new COVID-19 cases are down slightly in Houston, the positivity rate for July continues to be alarming.
Here are Monday's updates on the city's battle with COVID-19:
- The coronavirus has killed nine more Houstonians, bringing the total number of deaths to 400. Six of the nine patients were Hispanic. Three were Hispanic men in their 40s or 50s with no underlying health conditions.
- 176 of the total deaths have come in the month of July.
- The City of Houston has lost another employee to the coronavirus. Edward Zilton was assistant deputy director at the Solid Waste Department. He was 53.
- Turner said 89 of the deaths were in nursing homes and three were in jail.
- He urged young people who are going "out and about" to be mindful that they can bring the virus home to their parents and grandparents.
- The number of positive cases in Houston is creeping toward 22,000 in July. That would be more than the previous four months combined.
- There were 325 new COVID-19 cases reported Monday, a slight drop but still concerning. The total is now 42,202.
- Houston Health Authority Dr. David Persse said the positivity rate has dropped to 23.3%, which is still extremely high.
- Turner encourages people to take advantage of free public testing sites to avoid surprise bills from private testing sites.