Breaking News! First Confirmed Positive Coronavirus Case Announced in Maverick County, Texas
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
Eagle Pass, Texas Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes and Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo announced in an emergency press conference held on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at City Hall, Eagle Pass, Texas that the Texas State Department of Health Services notified them that a person from the Eagle Pass and/or Maverick County community has received a positive confirmed COVID-19 test result and for all citizens to follow the precautionary measures of washing their hands with soap and water and use of hand sanitizer as well as other announced measures.
Mayor Sifuentes stated that the person with the positive confirmed COVID-19 test result visited a local restaurant named El Rincon de Veronica in downtown Eagle Pass on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 during 7:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M. and the Eagle Pass H.E.B. Store on Thursday, March 19, 2020 during 9:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M.
Mayor Sifuentes urged all Eagle Pass and Maverick County citizens to adhere and follow all of the precautionary measures given by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to prevent a community spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
County Judge Saucedo advised citizens that the Texas Department of State Health Services has a statewide telephone number to call for any questions regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic at: 2-1-1 (Option 6).
Eagle Pass Fire Department Deputy Chief Rodolfo Cardona stated that the City of Eagle Pass is working on installing a local telephone number for citizens to call concerning any questions on the coronavirus pandemic and said telephone number will be announced upon installation. Cardona added that people will hav their questions answered by local professionals such as doctors, healthcare providers, and public health officials.
On March 19, 2020, Dr. John Hellerstedt, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, declared a public health disaster in Texas because COVID-19 “has created an immediate threat, poses a high risk of death to a larger number of people, and creates a substantial risk of public exposure because of the disease’s method of transmission and evidence that there is community spread in Texas.”
None of the press conference presenters indicated whether the first confirmed positive COVID-19 person in Eagle Pass and/or Maverick County had obtained it from traveling outside of Maverick County or through community spread.
