TEXAS, USA — There were 1,342 new COVID-19 cases added in nursing facilities and assisted living facilities Monday, state health officials said.
The record-high single-day report for these Texas facilities happened on Dec. 29, 2020 when officials added 2,859 new cases. They added 1,974 the day before as well.
This is now the fifth time in the last six days the state has reported more than 1,000 new cases.
The highest monthly average happened in December 2020 when Texas long-term care facilities were averaging 614 cases a day. The current average in January 2022 is 650, which would be considered a new record.
State officials report 12,286 hospitalizations
On Monday, state health officials reported there are currently 12,286 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Texas. This is up from 12,220 the previous day.
Hospitalizations in the state have remained above 10,000 hospitalizations for eight consecutive days.
The record-high number of hospitalizations happened on Jan. 11, when there were 14,218 patients in Texas hospitals.
The state currently has a 14-day average of 10,452 hospitalizations.
State officials report 54,407 new cases
State health officials reported 54,407 new cases of COVID-19 Monday.
This reported statistic has remained above 40,000 for eight consecutive days.
The state's current 14-day average is 46,692 cases. The record-high happened on Saturday when the average reached 46,751.
Denton County health officials report 192 hospitalizations
Denton County Public Health reported there are currently 192 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county. There were 191 on Sunday.
This is the 14th day in a row hospitalizations have remained above 100. The county currently has a 14-day average of 172 hospitalizations.
There are currently three ICU beds currently available in the county's hospitals.
Health officials also reported 4,233 new COVID-19 cases Monday. There have now been 131,185 total cases in the county since tracking began in March 2020.
There are currently 208,767 people in Denton County who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; 199,944 who have received their second dose and 1,139 who have received their third dose.
National website launched for deliverable at-home tests
The Biden administration has launched a website that allows U.S. citizens to sign up to have four COVID-19 tests delivered to their homes.
Sign-ups begin Wednesday, according to the site.
The federal government is limiting the number of tests any household can order due to projected high demand. Four tests can be shipped per household, not per person.
The White House says “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering” through the U.S. Postal Service.
Private insurers are now required to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests
Since a recent President Biden announcement about the omicron variant of COVID-19, the Department of Defense has awarded contracts to multiple companies to help with the delivery of the tests. Biden later said in a Jan. 13 tweet that he has directed his team to purchase an additional 500 million free tests.
The administration has also announced other ways Americans can get free tests, including through reimbursement from private insurance companies.
These private insurers are now required to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests.
Individuals covered by Medicare will not be able to get their at-home COVID-19 tests reimbursed through this program because Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plans are already required to fully cover the cost of at-home tests, according to the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS).
Private insurance companies, like Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Centene, along with America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a national trade association of health insurance companies, released statements saying they are working to implement the Biden administration's new testing requirements.