TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas – Travis County, which remains in Stage 5 of Austin’s Public Health’s risk-based coronavirus guidelines, has surpassed another unfortunate virus milestone.

The county on Wednesday surpassed 50,000 total cases of COVID-19. The count currently stands at 50,194.

Travis County is additionally reporting 4,729 active cases of the virus, 548 deaths attributed to it, 434 patients hospitalized with the disease, and 149 patients being treated in intensive care units.

The numbers from Travis County aren’t surprising as Texas in the past few days has reported record case totals and hospitalizations. The Texas Department of State Health Services Wednesday afternoon reported 17,458 confirmed new cases of the virus, 3,598 new probable cases, and 326 new fatalities.

There are currently 11,992 patients being treated for COVID-19 in Texas hospitals, 11,492 available hospital beds, and a dwindling 602 available ICU beds.

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Austin Public Health interim health authority Dr. Mark Escott earlier in the week issued a dire warning, stating the Austin-Travis County region is looking at entering 2021 “in a state of emergency” and that running out of hospital beds is a real possibility.

Austin and Travis County took action, issuing curfews that prevent dine-in food and beverage services in restaurants between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. between New Year’s Eve and Sunday, January 3.

However, Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took issue with the orders, claiming Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown exceeded their authority in issuing them. Paxton filed a lawsuit to prevent those orders from being enforced. A court is expected to rule on the issue Thursday at 1:30 p.m.