More people continue to test positive for COVID-19 in Hidalgo County as officials reported a total of 1,128 cases this week.
At the start of the week, county health officials reported 290 cases, 268 on Tuesday, 332 on Wednesday followed by 128 on Thursday, then 110 cases on Friday.
In comparison, there were a total of 920 positive cases last week in addition to nine COVID-related deaths, seven of which were unvaccinated.
A vaccinated San Juan man in his 70s or older was the only COVID-related death reported Friday, the county said in a news release.
When compared to last week, there were less COVID-related deaths this week as officials reported a total of six people died from COVID-19, all who were vaccinated with the exception of two people.
Of the 110 cases reported by the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department on Friday, 51 were confirmed, 56 probable and three suspected.
Children 11 or younger led the majority of cases reported Friday with 34 cases. The next age group were people in their 40s with 16 cases, followed by people younger than 19 but older than 12, with 15 cases.
Of the 1,128 people who tested positive for COVID-19 this week, 633 were confirmed, 375 probable and 120 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 five staff members and 34 more students tested positive. A total of 4,318 students and 824 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since Aug. 18, when the county began tracking those figures.
Hospitalizations continued to fluctuate this week, with health officials reporting 62 people were in Hidalgo County hospitals as of Friday. The majority were adults, with the exception of three children. Moreover, 23 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 2,539 people at the Regional Infusion Center, which opened at DHR Health in Edinburg on Aug. 27.
The county’s case tally is 121,112, of which 70,079 were confirmed, 47,917 probable and 3,116 suspected.
There are currently 816 active cases reported.
The county also reported 89 people were released from isolation Friday, raising that total to 116,788.
As of Friday, a total of 728,719 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Hidalgo County, with 606,742 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.
While the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 was lower in Cameron County than the previous week, more people died due to the virus this week.
There were a total of seven COVID-related deaths reported since Monday, all but one unvaccinated. As of Friday, the COVID-19 death toll in Cameron County stands at 2,017.
In contrast, the county reported three people died of COVID-19 for the week of Nov. 29, in addition to 156 people testing positive for the virus.
For this week, officials reported a total of 102 people tested positive for the virus, with 21 of those cases reported on Friday. None of the cases reported Friday were from facilities housing unaccompanied minors and detention centers.
People younger than 19, but older than 10 led the age groups with six cases, followed by adults in their 50s with four cases.
As of Friday, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Cameron County was 54,160.
Additionally, the county also reported 34 people recovered from the virus on Friday, increasing that total to 51,070.
As for Cameron County’s vaccination efforts, officials have increased their 12 and older population range to 5 and older. As of Friday, 76.84% of their 5 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 92.03% receiving at least one dose.
The county also reported that 89.10% of their 65 and older population are fully vaccinated, with 99.99% receiving at least one dose.
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More than 900 test positive for COVID-19 in Hidalgo County this week
