Hidalgo County officials reported 24 deaths and a total of 5,670 people who tested positive for COVID-19 cases over the last week.
On Friday alone, officials reported 183 cases and four COVID-related deaths, half of which were unvaccinated, according to a news release from the county. Friday’s cases were the lowest reported cases of the week.
The youngest among the deaths included a Pharr woman in her 40s; others included two men in their 60s and a Mission man 70 or older.
Based on the data, 17 of the 24 deaths reported this week were of people who were unvaccinated. As of Friday, the COVID-19 death toll in Hidalgo County stands at 3,846.
In comparison, health officials reported 32 COVID-related deaths, 21 of which were unvaccinated, and a total of 23,601 positive cases during the week of Feb. 28. It should be noted, however, that 22,000 of those cases were from another backlog for the month of January.
With that reported backlog, along with the first backlog reported in February, the amount of total backlogged cases for the month of January is now more than 45,000.
Of the 183 cases reported Friday, 73 were confirmed and 110 were probable. None were suspected.
The majority of cases were led by young adults in their 20s with 34. People younger than 19, but older than 12 were the next age group with 31 cases, followed by children 11 or younger with 27 cases.
Of the 5,670 people who tested positive for COVID-19 this week, 3,626 were confirmed and 2,044 were probable. None were suspected. Hidalgo County does not include in its COVID statistics whether people who test positive for the virus are vaccinated.
By the end of the week, hospitalizations dropped below 100 as officials reported there were 91 people with COVID-19 in county hospitals as of Friday. The majority were adults with the exception of 10 children. Moreover, 31 adult patients were in intensive care units.
In contrast, county officials reported 121 people were in county hospitals at the start of the week. The majority were adults with the exception of four children. Patients in ICUs also decreased as officials reported 45 patients were in ICUs on Mondays, all adults with the exception of one child.
Hidalgo County also reported that the Texas Division of Emergency Management has administered monoclonal antibody infusion treatments to 6,150 people at Mission Regional Medical Center.
Originally, the infusion center opened at DHR Health in Edinburg on Aug. 27 but moved to the new location Feb. 9.
The county’s total case tally is 189,214, of which 126,236 were confirmed, 64,733 probable and 3,163 suspected.
There are currently 1,072 active cases reported.
The county also reported 306 people were released from isolation Friday, raising that total to 189,214.
As of Friday, a total of 988,914 COVID-19 tests had been administered in Hidalgo County, with 793,955 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.
COUNTY DECISIONS
Last week, during a meeting of the city of Edinburg’s public health task force, Chief Administrative Officer Eddie Olivarez said the county is considering moving away from reporting their daily COVID statistics.
“We’re moving from a pandemic to an endemic where COVID is commonplace so the positivity rates really don’t have as big of an influence as they used to have,” Olivarez said then after the meeting.
Furthermore, with so much home testing taking place — in which reporting results to the county is not required — and more than 170 vendors conducting testing, Olivarez said it’s becoming more difficult to manage that information.
The county won’t necessarily halt the entire daily report, but rather focus on reporting COVID-19 hospitalizations, fatalities and positive cases at schools.
Nevertheless, Olivarez was clear that it was still unclear whether the health and human services department would make the change.
Meanwhile, Hidalgo County declared March 21 to be COVID-19 Memorial Day on Tuesday, following a proclamation offered by county judge Richard F. Cortez.
According to a county release, March 21 marks the day that the county saw its first confirmed case of COVID-19 two years ago in 2020.
Since the first case was diagnosed, the county noted that nearly 200,000 people have tested positive for the virus, in addition to nearly 4,000 residents dying due to the virus.
“This has been one of the most challenging periods in Hidalgo County’s history,” Cortez said in the release. “But people rallied to help one another and we will emerge from this terrible pandemic as a much stronger, much closer community.”
While details haven’t been released yet, the county said in the release that Cortez will be hosting a multi-denominational prayer service on March 21.
ELSEWHERE IN THE VALLEY
In Cameron County, there were 21 COVID-related deaths this week, in addition to 269 people testing positive for the virus, according to county data.
Only seven of the 21 COVID-related deaths reported this week were fully vaccinated, according to officials.
In contrast, health officials reported 17 COVID-related deaths, of which only one was fully vaccinated, and 321 people tested positive for the virus for the week of Feb. 28.
On Friday alone, the county reported 18 people tested positive for the virus and two COVID-related deaths: a San Benito woman in her 40s and a Brownsville man in his 50s.
The COVID-19 death toll in Cameron County is now at 2,213.
Of the 18 cases reported Friday, officials said 14 were confirmed based on PCR testing and four probable based on antigen testing. There were no self-reports from at-home testing.
Of the 269 cases reported this week, data showed 205 were confirmed based on PCR testing, 63 probable based on antigen testing and one self-report from at-home testing.
As of Friday, 85.19% of Cameron County’s 5 years and older population is fully vaccinated, with 99.99% receiving at least one dose. Additionally, 90.20% of Cameron County’s 65 years and older are fully vaccinated, with 99.99% receiving at least one dose.
