AUSTIN, Texas — Texas nursing homes are still struggling to contain the coronavirus amid rising cases in the state. State health officials began providing detailed data last week for long-term care facilities, including individual nursing homes.

What You Need To Know

  • Nearly 80 percent of the state's more than 1,200 nursing homes have also reported at least one case

  • The month of July also saw an explosion of cases compared to June.

  • Families and advocates say more testing is needed to contain the spread.

Of Texas' more than 7,000 deaths, about one-third have been nursing home residents. Nearly 80 percent of the state's more than 1,200 nursing homes have also reported at least one case since the pandemic began. The month of July also saw an explosion of cases compared to June.

Families and advocates say more testing is needed to contain the spread.

“You can't fight what you can't see. The more testing we can do, the better we can do to catch the virus early on and put all the mitigation steps in place,” said Kevin Warren, president and CEO of the Texas Health Care Association which represents providers.

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has committed to sending testing devices to nursing homes.

“That's a great step forward. Now we just have to get them there,” Warren said.