Two Eagle Pass Women, Ages 69 and 73, Dead from COVID-19 and 44 New Positive Cases Reported as Pandemic Worsens in Maverick County, Raising Total Deaths to Nine and 820 Cases
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
The silent, invisible and deadly novel coronavirus struck once again in Maverick County on Friday, July 10, 2020, as it claimed the lives of two Eagle Pass women, ages 69 and 73, and infected another 44 people, raising the death toll to nine Maverick County citizens and 820 infected citizens in the community, according to statements made by Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo and Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes at a press conference held on July 10.
County Judge Saucedo stated a total of 7,813 people in Maverick County have been tested for COVID-19 with 820 positive results, 6,002 negative results, 981 pending test results, 500 active cases, 320 recovered, 46 hospitalized, nine deaths from COVID-19, and a rising positivity rate of 12.0, the highest to date in the county.
Saucedo noted there are 46 people hospitalized at the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center as of July 10 with eight in the Intensive Care Unit and six of these on ventilators, another 22 people who tested positive are on the Medical Floor, and another three positive people and seven pending test results are in the Emergency Room with two of these on ventilators.
Saucedo pointed out that Mayor Sifuentes, Eagle Pass Assistant Fire Chief Rodolfo “Woody” Cardona, Eagle Pass Fire Department Lieutenant Adrian Davila, and himself had met on Thursday, July 9, 2020, with Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Eladio Montalvo and Chief Operating Officer Alan Gonzalez to discuss a contingency plan for Maverick County in the event the only hospital in the county is overwhelmed by large sheer numbers of COVID-19 patients.
Saucedo stated that “we are fortunate to have that contingency plan,” but provided no details what the contingency plan is other than to mention that it involves moving people from the hospital’s rehabilitation facilities and requesting an additional 12 ventilators from the State of Texas through State Representative Poncho Nevarez.
Mayor Sifuentes acknowledged meeting with Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center representatives to discuss a contingency plan and stated the local hospital has the space necessary to take on more COVID-19 patients but lacks the health care workers and providers necessary to manage an overflow of COVID-19 patients. Sifuentes noted that Maverick County had received six nurses and four ventilators from the State of Texas to assist the local hospital with treating COVID-19 patients and a group of doctors are scheduled to arrive on Monday, July 13, 2020, to assist the local hospital.
Sifuentes stated that Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center had told them that they were at a Level 2, but did not specify what Level 2 means or of which guidelines are they pertinent to. Sifuentes added that “we are not yet in a critical condition.”
Both Saucedo and Sifuentes were vague and scarce in providing any further details and what exactly does the contingency plan discussed with Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center provides and at what specific number of COVID-19 patients does it become effective, as well as how does it affect Maverick County citizens and how will they be notified.
Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center representatives similarly have been vague and evasive on what exactly does the contingency plan is and what steps and measures will be taken and at what particular number of COVID-19 patients does it take effect.
Many Maverick County citizens are concerned about the lack of transparency and public information provided to them by public officials and Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center regarding the community’s contingency plan for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many local citizens have family members or themselves with pre-existing medical conditions and require to know the health care services available to them in the community in order to make informed and intelligent decisions about their health. Many have children and need to know the community’s contingency plan and how it affects their children and families.
Local citizens have expressed interest in reading the written words of the contingency plan developed between the local governmental entities and Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center to become informed and educated. The contingency plan is a public record and should be made readily available to the public.
