Hospitalizations for people positive for COVID-19 remained relatively steady this week across the Rio Grande Valley.
Last Friday, about 5.7% of hospital beds across the Valley were occupied by COVID-19 patients, but by Thursday there was a decrease to 5%, according to data posted by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Currently about 143 people are hospitalized with the illness, 10 of them are on ventilators. Most of them are adults, but 14 of those in the hospital are children.
The week started with 18 people in the intensive care units of Hidalgo County hospitals, but the number rose to 20 by Friday, according to news releases from the county. Overall, according to the state’s data, 27 people were in intensive care units across the Valley by Thursday, the latest update.
In Hidalgo County, hospitalizations decreased from last week starting with 127 and ending with 118 by Friday.
The number of new cases in Hidalgo County also went down. In the county’s last reporting period, 881 cases were reported. The latest report had a total of 575.
As of Friday, the total number of cases reported in Hidalgo County stood at 227,035. Of those, 144,180 were confirmed; 79,696 were probable and 3,159 were suspected cases.
More fatalities were reported in Hidalgo County this week, however. Six people died, according to their latest report, as opposed to only two in the previous period.
Cameron County also reported five COVID-19 related deaths this week. Two men and a woman in their 70s who were fully vaccinated fell victim to the virus. Another woman in her 70s and a woman in her 90s also died, though they were not vaccinated.
Cameron County experienced a steady week of new cases ending the week with a total of 387 which were newly confirmed and 994 new probable cases
