The Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department reported 10 deaths related to COVID-19 and 726 additional positive cases of the virus on Thursday, raising the total number of positive cases in the county to 44,879.
The youngest among the deaths was a man in his 40s, to individuals in their 70s. Thursday’s deaths raised Hidalgo County’s death toll to 2,082.
In county hospitals, officials reported 236 individuals were hospitalized, with 93 patients being treated in intensive care units.
Additionally, the county reported 495 individuals were released from isolation on Thursday, marking the total number of those released from isolation at 40,525.
As of Thursday, a total of 258,162 tests have been administered in Hidalgo County, with 212,677 returning negative.
According to the county officials, 2,272 cases are active.
In Starr County, family and local officials confirmed that Roma police Chief Jose H. Garcia has contracted the virus and has asked the community for prayers.
“As I write this, my father, Chief Garcia, is fighting for his life,” Sashelly Garcia, the chief’s daughter, wrote on Facebook. “Due to complications from COVID-19, his oxygen levels have been declining.”
According to his daughter, the next step for Garcia is intubation.
“My father isn’t able to talk much but he was able to make one request, ‘to ask the city to pray for him,’” Sashelly wrote. “My father is a man of faith and believes in the power of prayer.”
In Cameron County, officials reported 124 COVID-19 positive cases and two deaths related to the virus, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 70s.
The death toll in the county is now 1,129.
Additionally, Cameron County Public Health reported 67 individuals recovered from the virus on Thursday, raising the total number of those reported to have recovered to 23,537.
As of Thursday, the total number of known positive cases in Cameron County is 26,466.
