COVID cases up by 750 in Hidalgo County as 17 die 

Hidalgo County officials reported 17 COVID-19 related deaths and an additional 750 positive cases of the virus Thursday, raising the case tally here to 59,504.

The youngest among the deaths was a young woman in her 20s, followed by people between their 50s and 70s. 

Thursday’s deaths increased the county’s COVID-19 fatality toll to 2,340. 

Officials with the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department also reported 424 individuals are hospitalized in county hospitals, with 137 patients in intensive care units. 

Additionally, county officials reported 631 individuals were released from isolation Thursday, raising the total number of those released from isolation to 55,179. 

As of Thursday, a total of 346,068 COVID-19 tests have been administered in Hidalgo County, with 285,737 results returning negative. 

According to county officials, only 1,985 cases are active. 

In Cameron County, officials reported eight COVID-19 related deaths, with an additional 213 positive cases of the virus, raising the total number of positive cases there to 33,517.

The ages among Thursday’s deaths were people in their 50s to people in their 90s. 

The death toll in Cameron County is now 1,257. 

In addition, the county reported 114 individuals recovered from the virus, raising the total number of those reported to have recovered to 27,625.

Starr County officials reported 24 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the active cases there to 685. 

Additionally, the amount of individuals reported to have recovered remained at 5,676 as of Wednesday, while Starr County’s death toll also remained at 213.

In Willacy County, officials received confirmation from the Texas Department of State Health Services of backlogged and additional COVID-19 cases totaling to 40 on Thursday, county Judge Aurelio “Keter” Guerra announced in a news release. 

As of Thursday, the total number of confirmed cases in Willacy County is 1,833.