Eagle Pass/Maverick County Rises to Nine Positive COVID-19 Cases
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
Although the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas, who are in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, are in synchrony approving same language restrictions such as requiring residents to stay at home, practice social distancing, and a person over the age of 5 years old to cover their nose and mouth when in public, the number of community spread COVID-19 positive cases within Maverick County continues to steadily increase with up to nine (9) persons as of Thursday, April 9, 2020, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
As of April 9, 2020, a total of 269 people had been tested for COVID-19 in Maverick County by local health care providers with nine (9) confirmed positive tests on individuals, 212 people testing negative, and 49 people tested awaiting their test results. Two of the nine positive COVID-19 individuals have recovered from their infection. However, scientists have documented that people who have recovered may get re-infected at a later date.
The number of people in Maverick County that have been tested is extremely low and minuscule, causing local authorities and health care providers difficulties in gauging the level of community spread of the lethal COVID-19. With only 269 people tested thus far out of a population of 60,000, only .004483 percent of Maverick Countians have been tested for COVID-19.
Maverick County like the State of Texas lacks more concrete data to determine the level of COVID-19 within the community. Scientists estimate that the level of COVID-19 positive cases in the United States is four to ten times the number of reported cases due to many factors, including, but not limited to, not enough testing facilities and laboratories, underreporting of cases, many positive individuals are asymptomatic, only people with CDC criteria of fever, respiratory/breathing problems, and cough are tested, many people do not get tested, misreporting, and politicization of the virus.
At a joint press conference held on April 9, 2020, both Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo and Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes encouraged all Maverick County residents to obey and comply with the Declarations of Disaster Public Health Emergency Orders and their respective restrictions to avoid the community spread of COVID-19. For instance, failure to comply with the local stay at home, social distancing, limiting gatherings to less than 10 persons, and covering one’s nose and mouth when in public restrictions may result in receiving a citation of violation with a fine up to $1,000 or confinement in jail up to 180 days (6 months).
Both Saucedo and Sifuentes wished Maverick Countians a joyful Easter Holiday, but stressed for all residents to continue complying with the COVID-19 restrictions and celebrate responsibly within the restrictions. They reminded citizens that these restrictions are designed to protect theirs and everyone in the community health and safety.
