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Lead image. Flower laid horizontally.

One year ago, the first Texan was killed by COVID-19. 47,000 deaths followed — and it’s not over.

They were fathers, mothers, siblings, neighbors and friends, and in most cases their loved ones were not able to gather and mourn together.

The weight of their deaths fell unevenly across the state — the people who died were disproportionately Hispanic, and border towns with heavily Hispanic populations were among the hardest hit in the nation over the course of the year. Nursing home residents made up one in five deaths. And the virus mostly killed people 60 years or older in a state where the median age is 35.

Younger than 50

6.9%

50-59

10.9%

60-69

21.2%

70-79

26.8%

Older than 80

34.3%

Coronavirus

victims

Texans

69.9%

Younger than 50

11.7%

50-59

9.9%

60-69

5.7%

70-79

2.8%

Older than 80

Sources: Texas Department of State Health Services, U.S. Census Bureau

Credit: Carla Astudillo and Darla Cameron

Coronavirus

victims

Texans

6.9%

Younger

than 50

10.9%

50-59

21.2%

60-69

69.9%

Younger

than 50

26.8%

70-79

11.7%

50-59

34.3%

Older

than 80

9.9%

60-69

5.7%

70-79

2.8%

Older

than 80

Sources: Texas Department of State Health

Services, U.S. Census Bureau

Credit: Carla Astudillo and Darla Cameron