COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the Rio Grande Valley increased by more than 16% in a single day while the counties reported more than 700 new cases on Thursday.
There were 121 COVID hospitalizations on Wednesday according to data posted by the Texas Department of State Health Services, or DSHS, on Thursday.
The hospitalizations were a 16% jump from the 104 hospitalizations reported the previous day and a more than 42% jump from two weeks prior when there were 85 hospitalizations on Dec. 15.
The 121 hospitalizations included 76 adults, 34 adults receiving treatment in intensive care units, and 11 pediatric patients.
Just in Hidalgo County, COVID hospitalizations grew by eight for a total of 88 patients, the county reported in a news release issued Thursday.
The 88 patients included 75 adults and 13 pediatric patients, with 27 adults and one pediatric patient receiving treatment in intensive care units.
The county also reported 600 more people tested positive for COVID-19, the largest single-day increase since September, according to Hidalgo County’s COVID-19 dashboard.
The new cases include 377 confirmed cases and 223 probable cases.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the county has recorded a total number of 123,725 cases. This includes 71,563 confirmed, 48,982 probable, and 3,180 suspected cases.
Currently, the county is reporting 1,586 active cases.
Additionally, two more residents died due to COVID-19 — an Edinburg man in his 40s and an Alamo man over 70 years old.
Their deaths raise the county’s total number of COVID fatalities to 3,528.
Cameron County health officials reported the loss of two residents to COVID — a Brownsville man in his 60s and a Brownsville woman over 90 years old. Both were unvaccinated and their deaths raised the county’s total to 2,031.
They also reported 75 new cases which raised the total number of recorded cases in Cameron County to 54,799.
However, an additional 71 individuals have recovered which raises the total number of recovered individuals to 51,410.
Starr County reported four confirmed cases and 36 probable cases, according to DSHS data. Willacy County three probable cases.
