290 more Texas COVID-19 deaths reported; new cases fewer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas reported 290 more deaths Friday from the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, but COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to plummet.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said the state’s COVID-19 deaths now total 42,575. The state’s confirmed and probable coronavirus cases rose by 7,332 to 2,629,136, an estimated 250,233 of which are active. Of those, 6,185 required hospitalization as of Thursday, the state’s most recent total made available. That was 794 fewer than Sunday and 539 fewer than Wednesday.

Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Texas has fallen by 4,179.6, a decrease of 36.7%, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.