As Hidalgo County reports another 390 people testing positive for COVID-19 and three deaths related to the virus, hospitalizations also continue to rise.
On Thursday, the county reported 326 people were hospitalized, with 65 patients in intensive care units. County officials reported 246 people being in local hospitals Wednesday with 52 in ICUs at the time.
In contrast, on Monday, the county reported 190 people were hospitalized, with 51 patients in ICUs. The last time the county reported hospitalization rates as high as 200 was in late February. The last time it reported intensive care unit rates as high as 50 was in mid-March.
The youngest among the COVID-related deaths reported Thursday was a Weslaco man in his 20s, followed by a Weslaco man in his 40s and a McAllen woman 70 or older, raising Hidalgo County’s COVID-19 death toll to 2,955.
While hospitalizations continue to rise, the number of COVID cases reported Thursday so far are the lowest of the week as the county reported 397 cases on Monday, 422 on Tuesday and 443 cases on Wednesday.
Of the 390 cases reported by the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department Thursday, 83 were confirmed, 307 probable and none were suspected.
The majority of cases reported Thursday were led by people 19 or younger, with a total of 157 cases. Adults in their 30s were the next-highest group, with a total of 70 cases as young adults in their 20s trailed behind with 58 cases.
Hidalgo County does not include in their COVID statistics whether people who test positive for the virus are vaccinated.
The county’s case tally is 100,125, of which 63,310 were confirmed, 34,547 probable and 2,268 suspected.
Hidalgo County also continues to see an increase in the number of active cases as officials reported a total of 3,170 such cases Thursday. Previously, the county reported 3,077 active cases Wednesday, 2,994 on Tuesday and 2,946 on Monday.
Additionally, the county reported 294 people were released from isolation Thursday, raising that total to 94,000.
As of Thursday, a total of 570,018 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Hidalgo County, with 469,076 results returning negative.
In Cameron County, officials reported a total of 159 positive COVID-19 cases Thursday and four deaths related to the virus, according to a county news release.
The deaths reported Thursday included a Port Isabel woman in her 50s, a Harlingen man in his 60s and two Brownsville men in their 70s, increasing the county’s death toll to 1,719.
Of the 159 cases reported Thursday, Cameron County officials noted 73 were from facilities housing unaccompanied minors, such as shelters and detention centers.
The majority of the cases reported from facilities were led by youth younger than 19, but older than 10, with a total of 57 cases. The remaining 16 cases included: three children younger than 9, four young adults in their 20s, six adults in their 30s, two adults in their 40s and one adult in their 50s.
The remaining 86 cases in Cameron County outside the facilities were led and tied by two age groups, young adults in their 20s and adults in their 30s, with 17 cases each. Adults in their 50s trailed behind with 12 cases, followed by adults in their 40s with 11 cases.
As of Thursday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Cameron County is 45,227.
Additionally, the county also reported 235 individuals recovered from the virus on Thursday, increasing that total to 41,313.
As for Cameron County’s vaccination efforts, officials said 69.52% of their 12 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 82.78 percent receiving at least one dose.
The county also reported that 82.22% of their 65 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 90.54% receiving at least one dose.
MORE 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.
