Authorities say a man is dead after being hit by a METRO train in the area near the Texas Medical Center.

Three Texas Medical Center institutions have agreed to pay a record $15 million settlement to resolve claims they billed for concurrent heart surgeries in violation of Medicare teaching physician and informed consent regulations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (BSLMC), Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and Surgical Associates of Texas P.A. (SAT) are the three institutions that have agreed to the settlement.Court records show an investigation into the intuitions and three of its surgeons began in August of 2019 when a whistleblower filed a complaint.“Well it became apparent looking at the document that there was a whistleblower who was inside, looking at the organization and seeing that these very prominent doctors were going from operating room to operating and even to another operating room and charging for doing the complete procedure when they could not have done the complete procedure, just from a pure time standpoint but they certified that they did those procedures and that’s what the government alleged, and whistleblower alleged,” said Attorney Randy SorrelsThose prominent surgeons named in court documents include Dr. Joseph Coselli, 71, Houston, and Dr. Joseph Lamelas, 63, Miami, Florida. SAT is a medical practice group affiliated with various cardiothoracic surgeons, including Dr. David Ott, 77, HoustonThe U.S. attorney’s office said the allegations also included the doctors delegating key aspects of extremely complicated and risky heart surgeries to unqualified medical residents.and failing to attend the surgical “timeout”— a critical moment where the entire team would pause and identify key risks to prevent surgical errors, according to the allegations,”“Yeah, These are some of the most well known heart surgeons in the country and so students would come to Baylor to learn from the very best, and they would be putting their hands literally inside the chest of patients. And you should have the attending physician there, But the allegations are as they weren't there and present at all times,” Sorrels said.Sorrels said it’s important that patients know, they can try and keep that from happening by advocating for themselves.What you want to do as a patient, especially before you go under anesthesia, is let it be known in the paperwork, Only the attending physician, the doctor that, you know, does the entire procedure,” said Sorrels.KPRC 2 also asked Sorrels if there’s anything that can be done if you’re a former patient and believe your life was put at risk.“Yeah, Texas law is not very patient friendly. The allegations were between 2013 and 2019. And Texas law requires you to bring a claim against a doctor within two years. So if you didn't bring your claim by 2021 at the latest, you can't bring a claim against any of these doctors or Baylor itself,” said Sorrels.Sorrels added that after examining the settlement it appears nobody would be criminally charged.“This $15 million payments is to settle all issues,” Sorrels said.

Three Texas Medical Center institutions have agreed to pay $15 million to resolve claims they billed for concurrent heart surgeries in violation of Medicare teaching physician and informed consent regulations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

If you’re headed to the Medical Center Wednesday morning, you may have some delays as Houston Public Works repair a water line break on Main Street.

When the 25-year-old nurse was asked why she took the medication, she responded, “I hear voices telling me to do it.” And this is not her first time doing the exact same thing.

Babies born premature are at risk of developing hydrocephalus.

Gov. Greg Abbott joined Mayor Sylvester Turner and others to deliver remarks at the grand opening of Texas Medical Center’s new TMC3 Collaborative Building, Helix Park.

A man trying to beat the Houston heat by swimming in Brays Bayou caused a response from emergency crews after concerned citizens called it in mistaking him for a floating body.

Police said two bodies were pulled from two different bayous in Houston on Tuesday.According to Houston police, one was found in Brays Bayou near the Texas Medical Center, and the other was found in Sims Bayou in southeast Houston.

An investigation is underway after a child was struck by a vehicle in northeast Houston Monday morning.

On Jan. 1, 2023, The Texas Medical Center, which serves 10 million patients a year and has over 100,000 medical workers, suddenly raised its parking fee from $15 to $19 for people parking 10 hours or more a day. This is a huge expensive for many families in our area. We also have solutions if you need help paying for parking.

An off-duty officer with the Houston Police Department has died Monday after his vehicle collided with a train in north Houston Wednesday morning, according to HPD Chief Troy Finner.

An off-duty officer with the Houston Police Department was injured Wednesday morning after being involved with an accident with a train, police said.

Search efforts are now underway near the Texas Medical Center for a missing father from Oklahoma.

In August of 2021, Weaymon “Dub” Crochet from Bellaire went to Houston Methodist in the Texas Medical Center with COVID.

A Houston family said a thief sold them a rental truck, using forged and fake documents to trick them out of thousands of dollars.

This week, the president of the Texas Medical Center unveiled plans for major growth.

Residents of an apartment complex near the Texas Medical Center expressed concern Wednesday that little is being done to stop a rash of break-ins, despite their calls for attention.

A search is underway for a man who was last seen on Aug. 31 near the Texas Medical Center, according to the Houston Police Department.

Folks who drive to the Texas Medical Center or Rice University will see construction slowdowns in less than four months!

The patient has referred to himself as Jose Sanchez, Jose Tejeda Barrientos and Abelio Tejeda Barrientos

The Texas Medical Center is known to provide some of the best medical care in the world - but have you heard about its music scene?

On May 18, KPRC 2 is celebrating medical heroes throughout Texas Medical Center.

For the second year in a row, KPRC 2 paid tribute to the hard-working heroes in our medical community.

Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. on KPRC 2, we are live from the Texas Medical Center for a special edition of Houston Life. We are honoring heroes in the medical community. The medical center is so unique, there is nothing like it in the world. We’ll take a closer look at the people, the talent and the access to some of the best treatment in the world.

Construction has begun on Houston Methodist’s newest hospital tower which will house a new and larger emergency department in the Texas Medical Center.

Two men face charges in connection to the March shooting death of a 17-year-old, according to Houston police.

Mayor Sylvester Turner will join the Texas Medical Center, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Tuesday as they celebrate a construction milestone for the TMC3 Collaborative Building.

There is good news in the fight against coronavirus. As predicted, without enforcing any restrictions, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo ran for three straight weeks without signs of surging COVID cases. Low transmission rates and high level of immunity are why the event (and all large scale events) are determined to be safer now.

A two-story 1938 house with three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms on a .38-acre lot with a swimming pool

Spring Break is just around the corner and folks should expect a lot of traffic and major demand for parking spaces especially within a five-mile radius of the Texas Medical Center. So to help traffic flow smoothly, here’s your game plan for a successful Spring Break.

Mayor Sylvester Turner, along with several leaders from Texas Medical Center, METRO, and several popular Houston-area attractions, will hold a joint news conference to discuss traffic and parking plans

Families who spend significant time in the Texas Medical Center often need hugs more than others. While navigating the medical issues in their lives, they also carry heavy and unexpected financial liabilities.

Police are on the lookout for a perceived beggar who allegedly robbed a person at a parking garage in the Texas Medical Center Thursday morning.

A fight between two sisters ended with one being stabbed to death and the other arrested, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

Texas Children's modifies cells in a lab, transplants them back to patient. This could eliminate the need for sickle cell patients to need a matching bone marrow donor.

This morning, frontline workers within the Texas Medical Center were celebrated with breakfast.

A Houston man said that while consoling his wife inside an emergency room a person working in the hospital put him in a chokehold and threw him to the ground.

A Houston man said that while consoling his wife inside an emergency room a person working in the hospital put him in a chokehold and threw him to the ground.

Question: Folks in West University and drivers who commute to the Texas Medical Center or Rice University have been wondering, “What’s up with all the construction on Buffalo Speedway?”

In the Texas Medical Center, there were on average less than 200 COVID patients admitted per day last week.

While an ICU bed is still hard to come by in Southeast Texas, the number of people waiting for a general bed is decreasing, according to the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council which oversees a 25-county region.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Nicholas has strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane ahead of its expected landfall in Texas.

There are a few factors that make us vulnerable to a bad flu season, and the main reason could be that people aren’t wearing masks like they did this time last year.

The Texas Medical Center in Houston issued this open letter to the city on Friday.

The Texas Medical Center is reporting a rise in COVID cases with hospitalizations up over 400 percent this past month.

A surge in COVID-19 patients, due to the highly contagious Delta variant, is creating problems for hospitals all across Texas.

An 11-month-old girl with COVID-19 who was having seizures was transported Thursday from a Houston hospital to a hospital 170 miles away in Temple, the Associated Press reported.

The Texas Medical Center says that hospitalizations of vaccinated people are mostly those who are immunocompromised. That includes transplant recipients, people with HIV, and cancer patients.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Texas Medical Center are about to match where Houston has hit during previous peaks, like the second wave in June/July 2020.

Several Houston-area counties are listed as COVID-19 hotspots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Data Tracker.

Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women announced Monday that it plans a $201 million expansion in the Texas Medical Center.

It’s been two weeks since July 4, and typically with COVID, two to three weeks after people gather for celebrations marks the time that the virus increases, and it’s proving to be true again.

Texas Medical Center hosted a brief discussion about the latest COVID-19 trends, breakthrough cases and the impact of the Delta variant in the Houston area.

In the Texas Medical Center, and at more than a dozen hospitals throughout the greater Houston-Metro area, health officials say COVID-19 numbers are trending in the wrong direction.

An 18-year-old Spring teen is in desperate need of a kidney transplant.

When your mom, husband, or child needs to go to the hospital, how do you choose where they should go?

Houston is currently on trend with the rest of the country with hospitalizations from COVID-19 being down.

This is a great way to give back our medical community and nurses on on the front lines.

KPRC 2 & the Texas Medical Center team up to honor and celebrate frontline workers

More than 12 million Texans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Positivity and hospitalization rates are all trending down, yet doctors in the Texas Medical Center are still asking people not to celebrate just yet.

In Houston’s grandest quest to spur entrepreneurship, The Ion is days away from opening its doors.

HOUSTON – Herd immunity in the nine-county Greater Houston region will be reached by mid-summer, the president and CEO of the Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Paul Klotman, predicted Wednesday. “The amount to reach herd immunity is a calculated amount” based on virus contagion, Klotman said. That herd immunity for the original COVID-19 strain is 60% to 65%, Klotman said. Klotman emphasized that contrary to popular belief, refusing to follow CDC guidelines would not delay herd immunity, but speed it up -- at an unacceptable cost. Ad“We are in a much larger base of disease than we ever had back in June and July,” McKeon added.

Lyric “Yhung” Chanel stole the hearts of thousands of people for her strength and resilience during her years-long battle with brain cancer and anaplastic ependymoma. HOUSTON – Lyric “Yhung” Chanel stole the hearts of thousands of people for her strength and resilience during her years-long battle with brain cancer and anaplastic ependymoma. After Lyric died on Friday, Houston’s own Beyoncé and Trae tha Truth shared emotional tributes to the 13-year-old Instagram sensation, who reached over 240,000 followers. Beyoncé released a cappella medley of her hit songs “Brown Skin Girl,” “Halo” and “Love on Top,” along with an emotional video montage in celebration of Lyric’s life. Lyric also developed a close relationship with Houston rapper Trae Tha Truth, who became a significant figure in her life.

HOUSTON – New data illustrates a downward trend in COVID-19 positivity rates in Harris County and Houston. “This is great news to see that those numbers are coming down,” said Dr. David Persse, the chief medical officer for Houston. “I think we need to keep in mind that we are starting from a really high level.”CHART: Track coronavirus cases in Houston areaPersse believes there’s a decline because the holiday season is over. Although, he starts college this summer and is hopeful if the downward trend remains in effect, his classes won’t be virtual. CONTINUING COVERAGE: Follow coronavirus news in our special section“Because people don’t want to come in because of COVID,” said server Brianna Razo.

KATY, Texas – A child was shot in the head Friday during what investigators believe was a road-rage incident. The shooting was reported about 4:30 p.m. in the 19900 block of Masters Manor Lane in west Harris County. According to Harris County deputies, the incident is believed to have started near the intersection of Greenhouse Road and Park Row. “Another vehicle pulled up close to them, and someone began firing shots from inside the vehicle at that family’s vehicle,” Spencer said. Spencer said the man then jumped back in his vehicle and drove to a nearby hospital where it was found that a 9-year-old girl inside the vehicle had been shot in the head.

HOUSTON – A major effort is underway by Texas Children’s Hospital to vaccinate young teens and adolescents with chronic and underlying health conditions. It may require advanced critical care,” said Dr. Jim Versalovic, the Interim Pediatrician in Chief at Texas Children’s Hospital. Hospital leaders with Texas Children’s said they have already identified more than 85,000 patients who would be eligible through their equitable allocation framework and under the State’s 1B plan which includes those 16 and older with chronic and underlying health conditions. AdAs the country’s largest pediatric health care system, leaders with Texas Children’s said it is more important than ever to get the message out. So far, more than 5,500 patients who were eligible have already been vaccinated at Texas Children’s Hospital.

I wasn’t by his side when he needed me the most,” said Danny’s wife Sabrina Lopez. Danny Lopez was an engineer and served as a Galena Park police sergeant for 15 years before retiring. He contracted COVID-19 on Dec. 18 and was admitted to the ICU at Memorial Hermann Cypress almost immediately. Danny Lopez leaves behind a wife, seven children ranging in age from 28 to seven, and five grandchildren. Family friends have set up a GoFundme to help the Lopez family with any unexpected expenses.

HOUSTON – COVID-19 hospitalization daily averages for the Texas Medical Center are three to four times higher than averages from the beginning of October. Local hospital leaders explained how a surge would be handled and how the public can help bring COVID-19 numbers down. One look at daily averages of COVID-19 hospitalizations and it may resemble a rollercoaster with valleys in the fall and a gradual increase heading into the beginning of January. The most recent numbers from last week, according to the Texas Medical Center, show an average of 307 hospitalizations per day. While the numbers are down from weeks prior, daily averages from January are much higher than they were in the fall.

HOUSTON – Newly released photographs show now-President Joe Biden quietly visited an injured Houston police officer in the hospital a little more than a year ago. Officer Taylor Roccaforte was shot three times while pursuing a robbery suspect shortly after the Democratic debate in Houston in 2019. “It was very unexpected and it was special to me,” Taylor Roccaforte told KPRC 2 on Wednesday. Samuel Roccaforte, Taylor’s father and a fellow HPD officer, said Biden didn’t want any press at the hospital. “It was really a nice time for us to see him there and was very calming for my son,” Samuel Roccaforte said.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (left) and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner (right) speak during a news conference at Houston Transtar on Dec. 23, 2020. Hidalgo said the county has faced a number of challenges over the past year during the coronavirus pandemic. She said ICU numbers have not stopped creeping up and the Texas Medical Center is routinely crossing its base compacity. Rockets star James Harden fined $50K for violating NBA’s COVID-19 protocolJames Harden was fined $50,000 Wednesday night for violating a COVID-19 protocol, according to the National Basketball Association. KPRC 2 Investigates has viewed documentation that shows Christmas Eve will start with 152 fewer firefighters than the national minimal staffing standards.

FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 file photo, a nurse holds a phial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guy's Hospital in London. U.K. Ugur Sahin, CEO of Biontech says the German pharmaceutical company is confident that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine works against the UK variant of the virus, but further studies are need to be completely sure. As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: How will I be notified that I can get the coronavirus vaccine? Texas Medical Center leaders said in a press conference Tuesday that most people will be notified by their physician or patients can call their doctors to find out whether they can receive the vaccine.

HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urged residents Wednesday to cancel holiday gatherings as hospitalizations and COVID-19 cases continue to increase in the Houston area. The judge urged residents to stay home and put plans on hold as Christmas and the end of the year approaches. “Mayor Turner and I wanted to join forces today to convey the seriousness of how important it is for everybody to cancel gatherings. The positivity rate is increasing.”As of Wednesday, the Houston Health Department reports 634 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths. “It may triple by January, and that’s why it’s extremely important for us to avoid any type of gatherings this holiday season,” Persse said.

HOUSTON – The Texas Medical Center is hosting a briefing Tuesday that will provide an update on the vaccine rollout across the Texas Medical Center. Health experts said they’re concerned about the increasing cases in the area. Health experts said they saw the impact from Thanksgiving and believe the number of cases can continue to grow as families gather for the holidays. Families are encouraged to practice social distancing and take a COVID-19 test if planning to spend it with a “safe bubble” of people. Health experts have recommended patients talk to their doctor before taking the vaccine.

HOUSTON – Texas Medical Center officials held a news conference Monday to discuss COVID-19 vaccine distribution preparedness, storage and distribution strategies, coordination with city, county and state officials, and the continued importance of non-vaccine prevention methods for slowing the spread of COVID-19. A video of the news conference will be added to this story as soon as it is processed.

HOUSTON – Houston-area hospitals are making preparations to receive the first allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 60,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to be distributed to hospitals in the coming days. The decision on the number of doses was based on a survey of the number of COVID-19 patients treated, hospitalized and the number of employees treating patients with COVID-19, according to Memorial Hermann President Dr. David Callender. Twenty-one hospitals in Harris County, four in Montgomery County, one in Galveston County and one in Fort Bend County were selected to receive the vaccine. The Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center was among those to be selected, including just one of the 37 VA hospitals picked.

HOUSTON – As the country anxiously awaited approval for the COVID-19 vaccine, healthcare workers on the frontlines at the Texas Medical Center were making plans. I directly take care of COVID-19 patients. Considering she works directly with COVID-19 patients, she believes the vaccine is important to get. Hatfield said, for now, she plans to wait on getting vaccinated citing concerns about the speed at which the vaccine was produced along with any possible risks. I’m tired FaceTiming families who can’t come in even people who don’t have COVID-19 can’t have visitors,” Rao said.

HOUSTON – State health officials said more than 5,000 healthcare providers have enrolled with the Texas Department of State Health Services to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. Texas’ Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel is working on who will be among the next to receive the vaccine. Only documented healthcare providers who’ve enrolled with the state can receive the vaccine. Healthcare providers also had to prove they could store the Pfizer vaccine at sub-zero temperatures. Texas’ first-week allotment schedule shows the nearly 225,000 doses will be sent to 109 healthcare providers in 34 counties.

HOUSTON – The Harris County Medical Society is concerned the coronavirus pandemic is taking a toll on the well-being of doctors causing physician burnout. “We have to deal with it because they also help people and they need to be in the best shape possible to help people who are sick,” said Dr. Ronald Walters, the medical society’s president. “The uncertainty, the increased hours, loss of financial stability and personal risks we are experiencing this year have increased burnout,” Walters wrote. While the issue of physician burnout is not new, Walters said another wave of COVID-19 cases could make it worse. If the stress of the job becomes too much, his message is simple: “If you think you might need help, please call.”The physician wellness program is available at 713-524-4267.

Texas Medical Center doctors warn of alarming increase in COVID-19 casesTop doctors with the Texas Medical Center said there’s an alarming increase of COVID-19 cases in the Houston-area in the last few weeks. “We’re seeing significant growth of this virus, significant number of more cases, and sadly hospitalizations of our sickest of patients,” said Bill McKeon, President and CEO of the Texas Medical Center. McKeon said the medical center had 155 new hospitalizations for COVID-19 on Wednesday morning, which was a 43-percent increase from a month ago. Texas Medical Center top health leaders warn not to get lax with the COVID-19 during holidaysTop health leaders with the Texas Medical Center warn with the holidays approaching that it’s critical for people not to get lax with the Coronavirus. This year, amid the pandemic, the shop will implement several COVID-19 safety measures to ensure the safety of its patrons and staff.

HOUSTON – Top health leaders with the Texas Medical Center warn with the holidays approaching that it’s critical for people not to get lax with the Coronavirus. Five TMC leaders had a discussion Wednesday over Zoom focused on alarming trends they said they’ve observed concerning COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations. Boom, the health leaders with Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Medical Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center, said there’s been a significant growth of the virus. The TMC health leaders said testing is up at their hospitals and that’s encouraging. The health experts also said they’re looking forward to at least two vaccines in 2021, along with at-home COVID-19 tests.

HOUSTON – Top doctors with the Texas Medical Center said there’s an alarming increase of COVID-19 cases in the Houston-area in the last few weeks. “We’re seeing significant growth of this virus, significant number of more cases, and sadly hospitalizations of our sickest of patients,” said Bill McKeon, President and CEO of the Texas Medical Center. McKeon said the medical center had 155 new hospitalizations for COVID-19 on Wednesday morning, which was a 43-percent increase from a month ago. They were treating 300 COVID-19 patients at Houston Methodist Hospital locations alone, which was an increase from 200 eight days ago. But with the news of two possible COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, doctors said there’s hope in the future.

HOUSTON – The Texas Medical Center offers some of the best advancements in medicine. “If your treatment is for two months, three months, four months, six months, that just adds to the financial stress of being sick,” said Yannick Thomas, founder of Patient Housing Assistance (PHA). Ronald McDonald House - HoustonHope Lodge is for cancer patientsHope Cancer Retreat is located in Splendora for cancer patients. Nora’s Home is located in the Texas Medical Center for transplant patients and their families. In Spirit Patient Housing provides affordable apartments to people traveling to the Texas Medical Center for medical treatment and their friends or families.

HOUSTON – Gordon Baker, 62, has devoted his life to caring for others and now he finds himself in the fight of his life. Baker has spent 28 years of his life as a paramedic, most recently with Harris County ESD 48 in Katy. Three weeks ago, Baker contracted the coronavirus and was admitted to Houston Methodist West Houston. He remained there for about two weeks until he was transported to Houston Methodist in the Texas Medical Center on Sunday night. Family, friends and loved ones held a prayer vigil for Baker on Sunday.

HOUSTON – There is still no timetable as to when the United States may again allow China to resume operations at its now-shuttered consulate in the Montrose area. “I would have to say the amount of information that we got out of that consulate is extraordinary,” said GOP Congressman Michael McCaul. “They are targeting, I would say the Houston area particularly,” said McCaul. “Of the nearly 5,000 active FBI counterintelligence cases currently underway across the country, almost half are related to China,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said during a speech in July. While the US government stated the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston was necessary to protect America’s interests, it could have an impact on trade according to U-H Downtown professor and US/China relations expert Dr. Peter Li.

HOUSTON – An appeals court ruled Monday in favor of Baby Nick Torres' family, allowing the family to keep him on life support for longer. Baby Nick was rushed to the hospital on September 24 after he was found unresponsive in a bathtub. A judge gave Nick’s parents and lawyer, Kevin Acevedo, until 6 p.m. Monday for the court of appeals to review the case and the motion. At 3 p.m. Monday, Acevedo held a press conference and said after they filed emergency appeals, they had not yet heard from the appeals court. Watch his full press conference below:WATCH LIVE: Attorney speaks after Baby Nick's family files an emergency appeal Monday to keep him alive.

HOUSTON – President Donald Trump is said to be improving according to the medical staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center but questions about his health remain. During his battle with the coronavirus, the president has been given an antibody cocktail, a second dose of Remdesivir and a steroid therapy, which is used in more severe COVID cases. El Sahly said the steroid therapy is known as Dexamethasone and has been used in less severe cases as of lately. “I see clinicians in milder cases, although the data is not as solid there,” El Sahly said. Dexamethasone works by reducing inflammation in and around the lungs but like with many steroid therapies there are risks involved.

“He’s getting the Cadillac of treatment at this point, very early and very aggressive,” said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious disease specialist at UTHealth. Ostrosky said the president is being treated with Remdesivir and an antibody cocktail made by Regeneron. He’s also getting Remdesivir, which is the antiviral that we know has some effect against the virus at this point," he said. Trump posted a video on Twitter Saturday from Walter Reed Medical Center addressing his health and the treatments he’s received. According to experts and doctors, the next 48 to 72 hours are crucial to the president’s recovery.

HOUSTON – A doctor with Baylor College of Medicine said it’s too early to know how things will play out now that President Trump is being treated for COVID-19. So we need to be very careful with the president of the United States' health,” said Dr. Thomas Giordano, the chief of infectious disease at Baylor. The president gave the thumbs up as he approached Marine One to head to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday. Trump’s doctor said the president received an experimental antibody cocktail from Regeneron. Giordano said it can take days for people with COVID-19 to get very sick, so the president isn’t in the clear just yet.

HOUSTON – Building on seven months of extensive data gathering, analysis and publication, the Texas Medical Center is updating its public dashboards to provide user-friendly information in tracking COVID-19 in greater Houston. The dashboard highlights the reproduction rate (rate at which COVID-19 is being spread), testing trends, number of overall positive cases, and ICU bed capacity, among other topics. KPRC 2 uses this information to keep news reports up-to-date for the nine counties the TMC serves. “There is no delay in the TMC data so when you look at testing data, positivity rate, people being hospitalized, you’re getting real-time data,” said Dr. Mark Boom, with Houston Methodist Hospital. President and CEO of TMC, Bill McKeon, said the real-time data shows proof when social distancing has worked.

Two of the country’s top health officials, Eric Hargan, the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and U.S. Four vaccines are now in Phase 3 human trials, including one at Baylor College of Medicine. Health officials said they won’t support a vaccine’s approval unless the trial includes a large and diverse group of volunteers. Getting a safe and effective vaccine across the finish line, from a research point of view, is only step one of the process. They discovered delivering substantial quantities of a vaccine, which health officials said could happen by the end of the year, will logistically be the hardest vaccine distribution in history.

HOUSTON – One Texas family is not giving up on seeing their loved one at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. This health battle has been tough for the Swearingen family. One Texas family is not giving up on seeing their loved one at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. At Texas Children’s our highest priority is the health and safety of those we serve. We need our families' assistance and support in protecting our patients, families and caregivers by following our visitation restrictions.

HOUSTON – One Houston teen and his friend found a creative way to help frontline workers keep their children mentally active and engaged during this pandemic. Amruth Nandis created a Telementors, a virtual mentorship and tutoring program for the children of those working the frontlines. The idea originated from a conversation with his mother and uncle, who are both frontline workers. And soon enough, he created Telementors, which aims to provide educational and emotional support for children of frontline workers. They now operate for healthcare workers at Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann and also help healthcare workers in Texas, California and even Idaho.

While at least seven local hospital campuses are now closed, at least three emergency rooms remain open. They do not anticipate the closed hospital campuses, which include outpatient, wellness centers and orthopedic hospitals, to reopen until at least Friday. Flood gates securedOfficials at the Texas Medical Center in Houston closed the flood gates Wednesday afternoon. Per emergency recommendations, the metal doors close eight hours before any storm makes nearby landfall. Research and our teaching activities within this building were completely halted for many weeks,” said Scott Patlovich, UT Health Assistant VP Environmental Health and Safety.

Houston Methodist Hospital is one such site conducting clinical trials and doctors there say recent results have shown promise. If you look at 28 days post-transfusion of the plasma, there is a significant reduction in mortality and death in those patients who received the plasma, Musser said. Despite the optimistic results from trials across the country, the Emergency Use Authorization of blood plasma as a treatment by the FDA is on hold, according to a New York Times article. It just means at this point the FDA wants additional information, said Dr. Musser. Although the Emergency Use Authorization is on hold for now, that is not to say things couldnt change after more data is collected.

More than 850 COVID-19 patients are in ICU beds, which is 45% of the ICU availability. He said the shortage has resulted in long wait times at his hospital for sometimes desperately ill patients who need beds. I have patients waiting a long time to get into the emergency room. Ive had patients waiting in her cars to get into the emergency room because the emergency room is packed, he said. On Tuesday, 273 patients were waiting for beds while 41 of them were waiting for ICU beds, according to SETRAC.

HOUSTON – Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine are going far beyond the search for a vaccine. At the beginning of the pandemic, the BCM transformed an academic research lab studying Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in children into one that has direct access to COVID-19 patient samples. Piedra said tracking changes in the virus is key to developing a vaccine that can cover multiple strains of the virus. Researchers are also studying exactly how the virus attacks the body. “You have to follow a person.”Dr. Laura Angelo said studying antibodies also helps researchers understand how the virus is stopped.

HOUSTON A new study suggests expecting moms can possibly pass the coronavirus to their unborn babies. The study looked at 31 women in Italy that had COVID-19 and later gave birth. Out of these 31 different women, there were three instances that were suspicious for having transmitted SARS-COV-2 from mom to baby, said Dr. Kjersti Aagaard. Some sort of transmission at very low levels, so rare instances, might be occurring but it wasnt conclusive, she said. We and other people have published that there is a risk of stillbirth that occurs with moms, who are sick with COVID-19 disease.

HOUSTON The Harris Health System, which oversees both Ben Taub and Lyndon B. Johnson hospitals, is bringing nurses to Houston to help fight the surge in coronavirus cases. As of July 4, twenty-three traveling nurses have been contracted, according to the Chief Nursing Executive at Harris Health Maureen Padilla. Harris Health is looking to bring in an additional 133 nurses but admits finding help has not been easy. In fact, the majority of the 23 traveling nurses are returning to Texas after being deployed to New York City during their COVID-19 outbreak. St. Lukes Health System said theyve brought in over 125 traveling nurses to their hospitals in the Houston and East Texas area.