COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the Rio Grande Valley continued their rise this week, ending July with a 58.7% increase in hospitalizations since the beginning of the month.
Over the past week, the number of patients hospitalized due to COVID grew by 5% from Monday through Thursday, according to data posted by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
At the start of the week, a total of 171 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 on Monday but that immediately jumped to 184 patients on Tuesday. The number of patients dropped to 179 on Wednesday and then picked back up again to 181 on Thursday.
The 181 patients on Thursday included 132 adults, 42 adults in intensive care units, and seven pediatric patients.
Just in Hidalgo County, there were 123 COVID hospitalizations at the beginning of the week which dipped to 120 hospitalizations by the end of the week.
The county also reported additional deaths due to COVID-related complications.
Three residents, all unvaccinated, were reported to have died due to COVID, raising the county’s total number of COVID-related fatalities to 3,942, according to news releases issued by the county.
The county also reported 2,322 new cases this week including 1,409 confirmed, and 913 probable cases.
By the end of the week, the county reported a total of 219,659 recorded COVID cases including 140,380 confirmed, 76,120 probable cases, and 3,159 suspected cases.
Cameron County reported 1,955 new cases this week which included 896 confirmed, 1,029 probable cases and 30 self-reported cases from at-home tests.
They also reported two more residents died due to COVID-19, both unvaccinated, bringing the county’s total number of COVID deaths to 2,270.
Starr County reported 84 confirmed cases this week and 139 probable cases, according to DSHS data. Meanwhile, Willacy County reported 41 confirmed cases and 16 probable cases this week.
