Hidalgo County officials reported Thursday that 123 people tested positive for the coronavirus in addition to three COVID-related deaths; meanwhile, hospitalizations which have recently been in flux are now on the decline.
The three deaths reported Thursday were all people in their 70’s or older and were unvaccinated, according to officials. The county’s COVID death toll now stands at 3,463.
Of the 123 cases reported by the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department on Thursday, 30 were confirmed, 78 probable and 15 were suspected.
Forty of the 123 cases reported Thursday, or 33%, included people younger than 19. More specifically, 20 cases were children younger than 11, while the other 20 cases were people younger than 19, but older than 12.
Additionally, county officials reported six staff members from local schools have tested positive for COVID-19 along with 83 more students.
Hidalgo County does not include in their COVID statistics whether people who test positive for the virus are vaccinated. The county continues to track cases in schools as a total of 3,485 students and 695 school staff tested positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday.
Hospitalizations appeared to decrease Thursday as officials reported 56 people are in Hidalgo County hospitals, the majority being adults with the exception of 10 children. Moreover, 27 patients are in intensive care units, according to the county, three of whom are children.
In contrast, Hidalgo County reported 66 hospitalizations, with 38 patients in ICUs at the start of the week, followed by 96 hospitalizations on Tuesday, with 33 patients in ICUs. Then, officials reported 90 hospitalizations on Wednesday, with 30 patients in ICUs.
Hidalgo County also reported the Texas Division of Emergency Management has administered monoclonal antibody infusion treatments to 1,644 people at the Regional Infusion Center, which opened at DHR Health in Edinburg on Aug. 27.
The county’s case tally is 118,131, of which 68,558 were confirmed, 46,678 probable and 2,895 suspected, with 678 cases reported active.
The county reported 94 people were released from isolation Thursday, raising that total to 113,990.
As of Thursday, a total of 703,341 COVID-19 tests have been administered in Hidalgo County, with 584,315 returning negative results.
Hidalgo County uses the case status definitions provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services’ 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.
On Tuesday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle P. Walensky endorsed the public health agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendation that children between the ages of 5 and 11 be vaccinated against the coronavirus with Pfizer-BioNtech’s pediatric vaccine.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez welcomed the news, encouraging parents to get their children vaccinated.
“This is good news for Hidalgo County and the rest of the country. I encourage parents to consult with their family physician and to get their children vaccinated if their doctor approves,” Cortez said in a prepared statement.
Shortly after the CDC’s recommendation, DHR Health announced they’d be offering the pediatric vaccine during their regular vaccine clinic hours: from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Many parents in the Rio Grande Valley wasted no time in getting their children vaccinated as DHR Health administered vaccine doses to more than 400 children Wednesday, the first day the COVID-19 vaccine became available for children.
“Hidalgo County has one of the highest percentages in Texas of residents who are vaccinated and I would love nothing more than to repeat that with our school aged children — both for the safety of our community, but, more importantly, to protect our community’s most precious resource: our children,” Cortez said.
ELSEWHERE IN THE VALLEY
In Cameron County, officials reported one COVID-related death Thursday and that an additional 23 people tested positive for the virus.
The death reported Thursday was an unvaccinated Brownsville man in his 40s, officials said.
The COVID-19 death toll for the county now stands at 1,981.
Of the 23 cases reported Thursday, Cameron County officials noted five were from facilities housing unaccompanied minors and detention centers.
All of the cases were people younger than 19, but older than 10 with the exception of one young adult in their 20s.
The remaining 18 cases reported in Cameron County outside the facilities were led by young adults in their 20s with 5 cases. The rest included three adults in their 30s, three adults in their 40s, three adults in their 50s, two children 9 or younger, one Brownsville girl younger than 19 but older than 12 and a Brownsville woman in her 60s.
As of Thursday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Cameron County was 53,514.
Additionally, the county also reported 55 people recovered from the virus on Thursday, increasing that total to 49,344.
As for Cameron County’s vaccination efforts, officials have increased their 12 and older population range to 5 and older. As of Thursday, 72.64% of their 5 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 83.98% receiving at least one dose.
The county also reported that 87.23% of their 65 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 95.38% receiving at least one dose.
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