A sixth person has died from COVID-19 in Cameron County, Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. announced in a news release Saturday evening.
The resident was an 82-year-old woman from the Windsor Atrium in Harlingen; she is the second person hospitalized at Valley Baptist Medical Center to die as a result of COVID-19.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends, as well as the nursing home residents and employees during this difficult time,” Treviño said in the release.
The news comes as Cameron County officials also reported 19 new cases in Brownsville, Harlingen, Los Fresnos and San Benito, with ages ranging from 5 to 19 years old.
Four cases were transmitted through the community, while the rest 15 were linked to previous cases.
The new total is now 298 positive cases; 108 individuals have recovered.
According to the release, Cameron County Public Health continues to investigate the outbreak at two nursing home facilities: Veranda Nursing Home and Windsor Atrium.
At Veranda Nursing Home, 24 employees and 52 residents tested positive, while 37 employees and 24 residents tested negative.
At Windsor Atrium, 24 employees and 24 residents tested positive, while test results for five employees and three residents have come back negative.
Thirteen more people in Hidalgo County have also tested positive for COVID-19, Judge Richard F. Cortez announced in his own news release Saturday, bumping the total there to 255.
The ages of these new Hidalgo County cases range from 10s to 60s — county officials’ preferred method of releasing ages — and come from Edinburg, Weslaco, Donna and McAllen. Two cases have undisclosed data.
Twenty-eight people are in area hospitals, with six of them in intensive care units.
No one was released from isolation, and the new 13 individuals were ordered to isolate themselves at home.
According to the release, the mayors of the affected communities and the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court have been notified.
