Maverick County Hospital District Denies Published Report of Employee Afflicted with COVID-19
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
Maverick County Hospital District (MCHD) Chief Executive Officer Alma Martinez issued an open letter to the community on April 16, 2020 denying a published report in a local news media Facebook Page alleging that an employee of the District had tested positive for COVID-19.
In her April 16th letter to the community, Martinez stated that “no MCHD employee has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus” as of April 16, 2020.
Martinez added that “as per CDC guidelines, any positive COVID-19 cases have been reported to the appropriate healthcare authorities. Our organization has and will continue to work closely with the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County Emergency Operations Center’s coordinator, as well as our local, state, and federal government to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Martinez added that “We want to let our community know that the health and safety of our employees is our number one priority, and we will continue our mission to fight against the COVID-19 and for the well-being of our patients, families, and our community.”
This is an unfortunate incident, but it is not the first time that a local news media has published an incorrect article or post regarding COVID-19 within the community. An earlier incorrect article or post by a local news media prompted the Eagle Pass Police Department to issue a letter to local news media to clear all COVID-19 public information through the joint City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County Emergency Operations Center before its publication.
According to an April 7, 2020 Letter to all local news media, the Eagle Pass Police Department stated “This is to inform all media outlets that any information which is printed or to be posted on any social media platform regarding COVID-19 will be considered inaccurate if it is not originating from the Emergency Operations Public Information Officer.”
The April 7th Eagle Pass Police Department letter further states that “Information has been printed and/or posted on social media platforms that is inaccurate and not in unification with the current disaster orders in place and is misleading to the public.”
The April 7th Eagle Pass Police Department letter requests news media platforms to please make inquiries regarding COVID-19 in writing to the Emergency Operations Center via email or telephone and they “will be answered in a timely manner given the circumstances.”
