Hidalgo County reported 204 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and six more deaths related to the virus, as county Judge Richard F. Cortez continues to urge residents to use caution during the upcoming holidays.
“As we get close to Halloween, I encourage residents of Hidalgo County to play it safe. Avoid large crowds and (wear) facial coverings,” Cortez wrote in a release. “Six more families are mourning the loss of loved ones. My condolences go out to all of them.”
Hospital rates remained relatively unchanged Wednesday: 176 people infected with the virus are currently hospitalized in the county, 74 of them in intensive care units.
COVID-19 hotspots continue to flare up across the state, notably in El Paso.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday that personnel and resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had been activated to respond to the virus there.
“Texas is grateful to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for providing these crucial resources and for working alongside state and local officials to combat the spread of COVID-19 in El Paso,” the governor wrote in a release. “We are working closely with our federal and local partners to meet the needs of the El Paso community and ultimately bring hospitalizations down.”
