Hidalgo County officials on Thursday confirmed four more people died due to COVID-19 in addition to another 613 people who tested positive for the virus, the second time this week the county has reported cases beyond 600.
On Monday, the county reported its highest single-report increase since March 16 with 671 cases, which covered results for both Saturday and Sunday. Monday’s cases were also well over three times higher than any other after-weekend case report made by the county this month.
However, Thursday’s cases nearly doubled that of other days this week. Hidalgo County reported 326 cases Tuesday, followed by 323 cases Wednesday.
The four people who succumbed to the virus were an Edinburg man in his 30s, a Pharr man in his 40s, a Weslaco woman in her 50s and an Edinburg woman 70 or older — increasing the county’s death toll to 2,942.
Of the 613 cases reported by the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department Thursday, 331 were confirmed, 282 probable and none were suspected.
The majority of cases reported Thursday were led by young adults in their 20s, with a total of 161 cases. People 19 or younger were the next-highest group, with a total of 153 cases as adults in their 30s trailed behind with 110 cases.
Hidalgo County does not include in their COVID statistics whether or not people who test positive for the virus are vaccinated.
The county’s case tally is 98,058, of which 62,801 were confirmed, 32,990 probable and 2,267 suspected.
Hidalgo County also continues to see an increase in the number of active cases as officials reported a total of 2,527 such cases Thursday. Previously, the county reported 2,264 active cases Wednesday and 2,192 on Tuesday.
As more people are testing positive for COVID-19, hospitalizations continue to be on the rise as Hidalgo County reported 180 people are in county hospitals, with 49 patients in intensive care units.
Since Wednesday, nearly 20 more people have been hospitalized, with nine patients in ICUs, after the county reported 162 hospitalizations, with 40 patients in the ICUs then.
Additionally, the county reported 346 individuals were released from isolation Thursday, increasing that total to 92,589.
As of Thursday, a total of 559,841 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Hidalgo County, with 460,970 results returning negative.
Cameron County’s numbers also show increased activity with 182 new cases reported Thursday, raising the overall tally there to 44,358.
Seventy-four more people also recovered in the county for a total of 40,689.
Two more people died due to COVID-19 in Cameron County, a San Benito man in his 70s and a Los Indios woman in her 30s.
Cameron’s virus toll is now at 1,708.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Hidalgo County uses the case status definitions provided by the Texas Department of State Health Service’s 2020 Epi Case Criteria Guide:
>> confirmed cases are those who tested positive through a molecular or PCR (oral or nasal swabs) test that looks for the presence of the virus’s genetic material;
>> probable cases are those who meet presumptive laboratory evidence through detection of COVID-19 by antigen test in a respiratory specimen;
>> suspect cases are those who meet supported laboratory evidence through detection of specific antibodies in serum, plasma, whole body and no prior history of being confirmed or probable case.
