164 new Texas COVID-19 deaths reported but fewer in hospital

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas reported 164 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 totaled 42,739. The state's confirmed and probable coronavirus cases rose by 8,1037,332 to 2,640,209. An estimated 161,316 of those cases were active Saturday, 88,917 fewer than on Friday, officials said.

Of those active cases, 5,912 required hospitalization as of Friday, the state’s most recent total made available. That was 1,067 fewer than Sunday and 273 fewer than Thursday.

Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Texas has fallen by 3,012.6, a decrease of 27.4%, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.