More than 900 people tested positive for the coronavirus in Hidalgo County this week, with 379 positive cases reported on Friday alone.
In total, 920 people tested positive for COVID-19. County health officials reported 174 cases at the start of the week, 76 cases Tuesday, 105 cases Wednesday, followed by 186 cases Thursday, then 379 cases Friday.
In comparison, there were a total of 278 positive cases last week, followed by 330 total cases for the week of Nov. 15. For the week of Nov. 22, officials did not release their COVID-19 updates for that Thursday and Friday.
A Pharr woman in her 50s and a man in his 60s, whose hometown was undisclosed, were the two COVID-related deaths reported Friday. Health officials said in the release both of them were unvaccinated.
Nine people died from COVID-19 this week, seven who were not vaccinated. In contrast, there were four COVID-related deaths last week, all unvaccinated.
Of the 379 cases reported by the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department on Friday, 165 were confirmed, 174 probable and 40 suspected.
Children 11 or younger led the majority of cases reported Friday with 101 cases. Adults in their 30s were the next highest age group with 60 cases.
Of the 920 people who tested positive for COVID-19 this week 422 were confirmed, 412 probable and 86 were suspected. Hidalgo County does not include in their COVID statistics whether people who test positive for the virus are vaccinated.
The county also continues to track cases in schools. On Friday, county officials reported two staff members and 32 more students tested positive. A total of 4,091 students and 778 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since Aug. 18, when the county began tracking those figures.
Hospitalizations continued to steadily fluctuate this week, with health officials reporting 61 people were in Hidalgo County hospitals as of Friday. The majority were adults, with the exception of seven children. Moreover, 17 patients were in intensive care units; all adult patients with the exception of one child.
Hidalgo County also reported the Texas Division of Emergency Management has administered monoclonal antibody infusion treatments to 2,288 people at the Regional Infusion Center, which opened at DHR Health in Edinburg Aug. 27.
The county’s case tally is 119,984, of which 69,432 were confirmed, 47,553 probable and 2,996 suspected.
There are currently 550 active cases reported.
The county also reported 289 people were released from isolation Friday, raising that total to 115,932.
As of Friday, a total of 723,590 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Hidalgo County, with 602,743 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.
In Cameron County, though officials haven’t reported any COVID-related deaths since Tuesday, more people are testing positive for the virus.
This week, the county’s total COVID-related deaths were three — all reported on Monday. Of the three deaths, only one was unvaccinated. The COVID-19 death toll in Cameron County remains at 2,010.
In contrast, the county reported four people died of COVID-19 for the week of Nov. 22, in addition to 78 people testing positive for the virus. Like its neighboring county, Cameron officials did not release their COVID statistics on Thanksgiving Day or the following day.
In total, officials reported a total of 156 people tested positive for the virus, of which 20 of those cases were reported on Friday.
Of the 20 cases reported Friday, Cameron County officials noted three were from facilities housing unaccompanied minors and detention centers. All three cases were people younger than 19, but older than 10.
The remaining 17 cases reported in Cameron County outside the facilities were led by young adults in their 20s and adults in their 40s, both age groups with three cases each.
As of Friday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Cameron County was 54,058.
Additionally, the county also reported 22 people recovered from the virus on Friday, increasing that total to 50,942.
As for Cameron County’s vaccination efforts, officials have increased their 12 and older population range to 5 and older. As of Thursday, 75.30% of their 5 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 90.61% receiving at least one dose.
The county also reported that 88.65% of their 65 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 98.74% receiving at least one dose.
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