Maverick County Near 1,000 COVID-19 Cases as 47 New Cases Reported, Bringing Total to 939 and 13 Deaths
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
Maverick County drew closer to the record mark of 1,000 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, as 47 new cases were reported by Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes at a press conference, bringing the total to 939 cases and 13 deaths.
Mayor Sifuentes stated that a total of 8,648 people in Maverick County have had a COVID-19 test administered as of July 15 with 939 positive, 7,072 negative, 637 waiting test results, 496 active cases, 430 recovered, 62 hospitalized, 13 deaths, and the positivity rate increased to 13.3 percent.
Sifuentes noted there are 62 Maverick County persons hospitalized at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center as of July 15, a single day record high locally, causing hospital administrators to advise the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County that it has reached its threshold capacity of 80 percent and alternative health care services in the community are needed to treat the surge of COVID-19 cases.
Sifuentes added that of the 62 hospitalized people, there are a total of 10 patients in the Intensive Care Unit with nine positive and one pending test results and all 10 are on ventilators, another 34 patients are in the Medical Floor with 28 positive cases and six pending test results, and another 18 patients are in the Emergency Room with five positive cases and 13 pending test results. Sifuentes noted that 12 ventilators are being used at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center as of July 15.
Sifuentes pointed out that the Eagle Pass and Maverick County Emergency Operations Center has called the State of Texas Emergency Management Office to request assistance in obtaining an “outside hospital” to handle the overflow of positive COVID-19 patients in Maverick County since the local medical center has reached its maximum capacity of 80 percent.
Sifuentes added that County Judge Saucedo had called U.S. House of Representative Will Hurd for assistance from the federal government in obtaining a field hospital for excess COVID-19 patients in Maverick County. Sifuentes stated that “hopefully” the City and County will receive a response tomorrow in getting a field hospital from either the state or federal government.
County Judge Saucedo stated “we know that we are in a critical condition” regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Maverick County. Saucedo noted he had called Congressman Will Hurd for federal assistance in obtaining a field hospital for Maverick County, together with medical equipment and health care personnel to operate it.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott first issued a Declaration of Disaster due to COVID-19 on March 13, 2020 while both the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County followed suit issuing the first public declarations of disaster in the community on March 18, 2020, almost four months ago. Since March of 2020, the COVID-19 virus infected Maverick County citizens steadily but exploded exponentially after the Memorial Day Holiday in late May, causing the current “critical” condition and the overwhelming of the health care services at the only hospital in Maverick County. The surging COVID-19 pandemic in Maverick County, Texas and the United States has complicated all facets of public life, business, schools, and public government.
Saucedo pointed that the Emergency Operations Center is working with Local Health Authority Dr. Victoriano Valdez and the Eagle Pass Independent School District Superintendent Samuel Mijares on the reopening of the public school system and whether classes will be in person instruction, online virtual instruction, or a hybrid of both.
Sifuentes added that Governor Abbott is expected to make a key announcement on the reopening of schools and the economy in Texas on Friday, July 17, 2020, which they are waiting for before making decisions affecting Maverick County schools and citizens.
In other Texas communities such as El Paso and Laredo, the Local Health Authorities have issued public health orders requiring that public and private schools not reopen until after September 8, 2020 due to the critical COVID-19 situation in those communities and Texas. Locally, public officials are having discussions with Local Health Authority Dr. Victoriano Valdez regarding the reopening of local schools and whether he will issue similar orders. The Eagle Pass Independent School District has scheduled for school to start on August 17, 2020 with in person instruction.
Texas reported new single day high records for confirmed positive COVID-19 cases with 10,791 and deaths with 110 on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, bringing the total to 282,365 positive cases and 3,432 deaths. Texas also reported a total of 10,471 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19 and the positivity rate increased to 16.8 percent.
Nationally, there a total of 3,512,700 people in the United States who have tested positive for COVID-19, over 60,000 new positive cases, and 137,319 deaths as of July 15, 2020.
As of July 15, there still is not a national plan to combat COVID-19 as President Donald J. Trump and his Administration even though there are over three million Americans infected with the deadly coronavirus, over 60,000 daily new cases, and 137,319 deaths, many of which were unnecessary if there had been a national plan. President Trump has chosen to focus on his re-election campaign in November of 2020, seeking four more years. Americans are asking themselves if they are better off than four years ago.
