Texas Surpasses 11,000 Coronavirus Deaths
AUSTIN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - Texas surpassed 11,000 coronavirus deaths Friday, while the number of patients hospitalized because of the virus continue to fall.
The state reported 4,651 confirmed new cases and 258 more deaths on Friday.
Texas earlier this week became just the fourth state to surpass 10,000 deaths, but the toll has rapidly mounted as the state has added hundreds of new deaths daily in August.
Gov. Greg Abbott also announced federal approval of some out-of-work Texans to receive an additional $300 a week through President Donald Trump's offer of stripped-down unemployment benefits.
People out of work had been receiving an extra federally funded $600 a week, but the boost expired at the end of July.
Abbott previously was noncommittal about whether Texas would accept the money while expressing optimism that Trump and Congress would reach a deal on a broader new coronavirus relief plan.
State health officials reported that roughly 5,500 coronavirus patients were hospitalized Friday, which is nearly half as many as July's peak.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)