Hidalgo County confirmed 15 more fatalities due to the coronavirus Tuesday along with 335 new cases of the disease, according to a county news release.
This brings the death toll there to 90, and the total case count to 5,782.
“We have reached a critical juncture in the battle against this disease,” county Judge Richard F. Cortez wrote in the release. “Our healthcare system is admirably battling to save lives as the number of serious cases needing hospitalization is presenting new challenges. Please join me in praying for not only our courageous health care workers, but for those family and friends of people who have died.”
According to the release, the individuals who died resided in Edinburg, McAllen, Mission, Pharr, San Juan and Weslaco.
Also on Tuesday, 340 people were released from isolation due to COVID-19, leaving 2,955 active cases in the county.
Additionally, there are currently 735 people with the coronavirus being cared for in local hospitals, of which, 205 in intensive care units.
The county has administered 55,944 COVID-19 tests so far, which is soon set to accelerate with the opening of free testing at Bert Ogden Arena and H-E-B Park in Edinburg, according to a news release from Gov. Greg Abbott.
The sites, which are expected to test 5,000 residents daily, will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through July 14. The operations are provided by the state, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the city of Edinburg and Hidalgo County.
“This new surge testing site will help us identify and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the Rio Grande Valley and keep Texans safe,” Abbott wrote in the release. “We remain committed to working with our local and federal partners to develop more ways to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and protect public health.”
Residents are encouraged to pre-register for testing by visiting www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com/.
Two more deaths due to the coronavirus were also confirmed in Cameron County on Tuesday, along with 117 new cases of the disease.
The individuals who died were a 65-year-old woman and 81-year-old man, both from Brownville, according to a county news release.
The county’s death toll is now at 70, with the total cases seen there at 2,997.
Additionally, 107 individuals were reported to have recovered on Tuesday, leaving 817 active cases in the county.
