The number of people with COVID-19 in hospitals has now crossed the 400 mark in Hidalgo County as seven more died due to the virus and another 488 cases were confirmed, health officials announced Tuesday.
County health officials said in a news release that hospitalizations continue a steady but alarming incline, reaching 404, with 127 of those patients in intensive care units.
The county also said 410 people have been released from isolation to equal 51,114 to date.
Of the new cases, 230 have been confirmed, while 236 are probable and 22 are suspected. The new case tally in Hidalgo County is now at 55,626.
Those who succumbed to the virus were two women in their 60s and 70s from McAllen. Five men also in their 60s and 70s hailing from Weslaco, Donna, Alamo, McAllen and Mission also died due to the disease.
Their deaths bring the virus death toll up to 2,260.
Of the 327,754 tests administered in Hidalgo County, 271,461 have returned negative for COVID-19.
In Cameron County, two COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been announced for Wednesday in Los Fresnos and Friday in Brownsville, according to a news release from county Judge Eddie Treviño Jr.
Vaccinations will be administered on a first come, first serve basis from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Los Fresnos Fire Department at 100 Rodeo Drive, and Friday at the Brownsville Sports Park at 1100 Sports Park Blvd.
Residents are asked to remain in their vehicle and complete a consent and registration form ahead of their visit. The forms can be found here, and will also be provided on-site.
Drop-offs and walk-ins are not allowed.
Treviño confirmed that the Moderna vaccine will be administered to 2,350 people at each location.
“It is expected that Cameron County Public Health will receive additional COVID-19 vacines in future weeks and will provide additional vaccination clinic updates as allocations are confirmed,” the release read.
Those eligible for the vaccine at these clinics are people 65 and older, and those 18 and older with underlying health conditions as well as front-line healthcare workers who have not yet received the vaccine.
The clinics will come after Cameron County received 6,000 vaccines Friday, of which 1,000 have already been administered and an equal amount allocated at a clinic at Casa del Sol in Harlingen.
“The remaining doses will be administered for individuals within the Phase 1A and 1B priority groups,” the release read.
These groups include people with any of the following health conditions:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD
- Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
- Solid organ transplant
- Obesity and severe obesity (body mass index of 30kg/m2 or higher)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease or
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
According to the county judge, Cameron County Public Health partnered with the Los Fresnos and Brownsville school districts to administer the vaccines.
