More than 1,500 people tested positive for COVID-19 this week in Hidalgo County, with 471 cases on Friday alone.
Hidalgo County officials reported 474 cases on Tuesday, 220 cases Wednesday, followed by 398 cases Thursday, and then 471 cases on Friday; the county did not release their COVID update for Monday due to the New Year’s holiday.
In comparison, Hidalgo County confirmed 1,347 cases for the week of Dec. 27, which excluded that Friday due to the New Year’s Eve holiday.
A Mission man in his 70s, who was vaccinated, was the only COVID-related death reported Friday.
For this week, there were a total of seven COVID-related deaths, four of which were unvaccinated. In contrast, there were six deaths reported in Hidalgo County last week, five of which were not vaccinated.
Of the 471 cases reported by the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department on Friday, 282 were confirmed, 188 probable and one suspected.
Young adults in their 20s led the majority of cases reported Friday, with 106 cases. That age group was the only group to have more than 100 cases Friday. The next age group with highest cases Friday were adults in their 40s with 77 cases, followed by adults in their 30s with 75 cases.
Of the 1,563 people who tested positive for COVID-19 this week, 753 were confirmed, 805 probable and five were suspected. Hidalgo County does not include in their COVID statistics whether people who test positive for the virus are vaccinated.
On Tuesday, the county announced that five people had tested positive for the omicron variant of COVID-19, joining Cameron County, which confirmed its first case on Monday. Of the five, three were fully vaccinated adults, one was a partially vaccinated adult and one was an unvaccinated child.
“Given the contagious nature of this variant, we have long suspected that Omicron was present in Hidalgo County,” Health and Human Services Chief Administrative Officer Eddie Olivarez said in a news release. “But these cases were the first official confirmation by the state.”
As county schools end their first week back from winter break, officials reported 31 staff members and 144 more students tested positive for the virus Friday. Since August 2021, when Hidalgo County began tracking cases in schools, a total of 5,185 students and 1,499 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
The COVID-19 activity in schools has local school districts facing another problem: staffing shortages. In the Rio Grande Valley in particular, along with many others across the state, institutions are facing their first surge while students and staff are on campus. Although some Valley school districts have elected to extend their winter break for health reasons, none so far have extended their breaks or closed due to personnel shortages.
“Decisions regarding local schools are properly being made by administrators and school boards overseeing those schools,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said in a release Monday. “Hidalgo County is providing statistical data to aid in those decisions but is not involved in any final determination regarding schools.”
In the same release, Cortez also said he had no plans to “interrupt commerce” with any type of closures. He also noted he remains in constant contact with local and state health experts to determine if any course of action is needed.
“The community already knows that the best course of action is what health experts have been saying for nearly two years now — avoid crowds, practice good hygiene, wear facial coverings and isolate yourselves if you test positive for COVID.”
Hospitalizations continue to increase. Officials reported 164 people were in Hidalgo County hospitals as of Friday. The majority were adults, with the exception of 18 children. Moreover, 46 patients were in intensive care units; all adult patients with the exception of two children.
In contrast, Hidalgo County reported 93 hospitalizations, with 25 patients in ICUs at the start of the week, followed by 149 hospitalizations on Wednesday, with 41 patients in ICUs. Then, 162 hospitalizations on Thursday, with 43 patients in ICUs.
Hidalgo County also reported the Texas Division of Emergency Management has administered monoclonal antibody infusion treatments to 4,308 people at the Regional Infusion Center, which opened at DHR Health in Edinburg Aug. 27.
The county’s case tally is 125,288, of which 72,341 were confirmed, 49,764 probable and 3,183 suspected.
There are currently 1,793 active cases reported.
The county also reported 327 people were released from isolation Friday, raising that total to 119,960.
As of Friday, a total of 753,645 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Hidalgo County, with 627,509 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 Starr County, there were a total of 139 confirmed cases and 62 probable cases Friday, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
As of Friday, the county’s total confirmed cases was 10,042 and 338 total COVID-related deaths, according to DSHS data. There were also a total of 2,930 probable cases.
According to DSHS estimates, there are 1,012 active cases in Starr County, in addition to 11,623 recoveries from the virus as of Friday.
In Willacy County, there were a total of eight confirmed cases and four probable cases Friday, according to DSHS data.
As of Friday, the county’s total confirmed cases were 4,475 and 114 total COVID-related deaths, according to DSHS. There were also a total of 645 probable cases.
According to DSHS estimates, there are 146 active cases in Willacy County, in addition to 4,862 recoveries from the virus as of Friday.
Neither the counties of Starr or Willacy reported any COVID-related deaths Friday, according to data from DSHS.
