2 more COVID deaths Valleywide as hospitalizations remain steady

There were two COVID-related deaths throughout the Rio Grande Valley, county officials reported Tuesday, as hospitalizations remain steady.

Two individuals, Hidalgo County and Cameron County residents, were the latest reported deaths due to COVID-related complications. Both were unvaccinated.

The Hidalgo County resident, a Weslaco man in his 50s, was the single death reported Tuesday in the county. His death raised the total number of COVID-related deaths here to 3,492.

The single COVID-related death reported in Cameron County was of a Harlingen woman in her 40s. Her death raised the county’s total number of COVID-19 deaths to 2,006.

As the Valley’s COVID death toll continues to rise, the number of people hospitalized due to COVID appeared to remain steady heading into Thanksgiving.

On Monday, there were 91 hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Valley, according to data posted on Tuesday by the Texas Department of State Health Services, or DSHS.

Hospitalizations in the Valley have been at 91 since Saturday but have overall fluctuated throughout November.

From Nov. 1 to Nov. 2, hospitalizations dropped from 140 to 97. Since then, the numbers have fluctuated from as low as 86 to as high as 100.

The 91 COVID hospitalizations reported on Monday included 49 adults, 37 adults treated in intensive care units, and five pediatric patients.

Specifically, in Hidalgo County, there were 58 individuals were hospitalized due to COVID, the county reported Tuesday. Those hospitalized included 51 adults and seven pediatric patients.

Of the 58, 24 patients were being treated in intensive care units — 23 adults and one pediatric patient.

Hidalgo County also reported 32 new cases. Seven were confirmed and 25 were probable cases.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 118,909 cases. Those include 68,884 confirmed cases, 47,119 probable and 2,906 suspected cases.

In schools, there were two more staff members and 29 students who tested positive.

There have now been a total of 752 school staff members and 3,982 students who have tested positive since the county began tracking cases in schools earlier this year.

Cameron County health officials reported 23 new cases, raising their total number of cases there to 53,884 since the start of the pandemic.

Another 34 Cameron County residents have recovered for a total of 50,785.