Local hotels will begin receiving convalescent patients from COVID-19 later this week, state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa announced Sunday as the death toll increased by more than 40 this weekend.
Dr. Ivan Meléndez, Hidalgo County Health Authority, said during a press conference Sunday that more than 1,000 new cases and more than 40 deaths have already been reported in Hidalgo County this weekend due to the disease. .
Judge Richard F. Cortez also announced that he will issue new emergency orders on Monday, although he has no “enforcement capacity.”
“But you know what? I don’t think I’m going to need it,” Cortez said, noting that the community is realizing the scale of the problem. He asked residents to “voluntarily do the right thing.”
And although Cortez did not indicate what those orders will entail, it did say that there is no quick solution.
“I want to tell you that blocking people, blocking companies is not the only answer,” he said. “It will take a combination of things.”
Its announcement comes as the number of cases on the rise and deaths have more than doubled and quadrupled, respectively, since the beginning of the month.
“This week is going to be bad. Next week is going to be wrose, “Hinojosa warned.
Still, Meléndez and Cortez expressed optimism during the conference.
“We are seeing some sunlight on the other side of the storm,” said Meléndez. “And we believe there are some positive things in the future.”
A US Navy medical team is also heading to the area to help local doctors provide acute care, and is expected to arrive on Friday, just as hotels begin to receive patients, Hinojosa said.
