Hidalgo County officials on Friday confirmed four new cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19, in addition to two deaths and another 415 new cases, according to a county news release.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said Friday the new variant is more infectious than the previous strain and that those who have yet to be vaccinated are at the highest risk.
“As previously warned, the spread of the Delta variant was going to continue to occur in Hidalgo County,” Cortez said in the news release.
The four people infected with the variant — two of whom were not vaccinated — include two women in their 30s and two males, one in his 30s and one in his 50s, the release said.
The two people who died due to complications from the virus were two men: a man in his 30s and a man in his 70s. Their deaths increased the county’s death toll to 2,944. Their hometowns were not disclosed.
Of the 415 cases reported by the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department on Friday, 90 were confirmed, 323 probable and 2 suspected.
The county’s numbers showed that of the 415 cases, more than 170 were from people younger than 19 years of age. Young adults in their 20s and people in their 30s accounted for more than 70 cases each.
The county’s total case tally is 98,473, of which 62,904 were confirmed, 33,301 probable and 2,268 suspected.
According to a release from the county, a total of 2,762 cases are active.
Officials also reported 178 people were hospitalized in county hospitals, with 50 patients in intensive care units.
Additionally, the county reported 178 individuals were released from isolation Friday, increasing that total to 92,767.
As of Friday, a total of 561,077 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Hidalgo County, with 461,816 results returning negative.
