Maverick County Spikes to 160 Confirmed Positive COVID-19 Cases as Seven New Cases Reported
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright, 2020
Just as the United States and the State of Texas are experiencing a surge of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, so is Maverick County spiking with 160 total number of positive COVID-19 cases as seven new cases were reported on Thursday, June 11, 2020 by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes stated a total of 3,632 people have been administered a COVID-19 test in Maverick County with 3,080 negative results, 160 positive results, 392 are waiting test results, 53 have recovered, and two deaths reported as of June 11, 2020. One person is hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Maverick County as of June 11. A total of 105 people remain active with COVID-19 in Maverick County as of June 11.
Eagle Pass and Maverick County Local Health Authority Dr. Victoriano Valdez stated that the positivity rate is less than 5 percent out of a total of 3,632 people tested for COVID-19 in Maverick County with only 160 confirmed positive cases reported as of June 11. Dr. Valdez added that according to the statistics, “we are doing very well” in Maverick County in keeping the positivity rate under five percent. Dr. Valdez also noted that the three nursing and rehabilitation centers in Maverick County COVID-19 test results that have come in have been negative with some results still pending. Valdez added that overall the local nursing and rehabilitation centers are doing “O.K.” with their residents and staff testing results.
Dr. Hector Trevino, Assistant Local Health Authority, discussed the importance of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to donate blood plasma to help scientists develop a vaccine and treatment for COVID-19. Dr. Trevino noted that people who tested positive for COVID-19 have developed antibodies in their blood that are like “little soldiers combatting the Coronavirus.” Dr. Trevino encouraged positive COVID-19 people to donate plasma at one of two local plasma donor centers in the community. Dr. Trevino added that the first immunoglobin vaccine treatment made from plasma will be available on July 20, 2020. Currently, convalescent plasma-blood transfusions are used as a treatment for patients battling the lethal novel coronavirus.
The State of Texas is experiencing a surge of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases after Mother’s Day and Memorial Day festivities with the number of positive COVID-19 tests spiking statewide. On Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Texas recorded a new daily high of positive COVID-19 cases with 2,504 according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. As of June 11, there are a total of 81,583 positive cases in 236 counties in Texas with 1,920 fatalities, 54,096 recovered, 25,567 active cases, and 2,008 people hospitalized.
Governor Greg Abbott knew in May 2020 when he reopened the Texas economy in phases that the total number of infections would grow statewide. The current surge of new positive COVID-19 cases reported in Texas has hospitals, healthcare workers, and leaders worried and concerned. If these trends continue, the issue becomes does Texas have enough hospitals and healthcare resources to handle a surge of positive COVID-19 patients.
Similarly, the United States is seeing a surge of positive COVID-19 cases in 21 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and others. As of June 10, 2020, the United States had a total of 2,005,130 (2 Million) positive COVID-19 cases with 113,450 total fatalities according to NBC News.
National public health experts are recommending Americans to continue practicing social distancing, wear face masks, wash their hands regularly, use hand sanitizer, avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, and limit travel to essential matters despite the reopening of businesses and economies by the 50 states.
The United States is currently averaging about 900 to 1,000 fatalities daily and public health experts predict that if this trend continues there are going to be 200,000 fatalities by September 2020.
American and international scientists and pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop a vaccine to treat the deadly COVID-19 virus as several of them are undergoing trials worldwide.
