At least 50% of patients admitted to the hospital’s emergency room have tested positive for Covid-19, Dr. José Vásquez, the county health authority, said at a press conference earlier this week. .
“The situation is desperate,” he said.
This rural South Texas county began seeing an increase in positive cases about a month ago, Vasquez said, and the hospital admitted its first Covid-19 patient at the time.
The hospital quickly filled all eight beds in its Covid-19 unit, expanding to 17, and then to 29 beds, Vásquez said. The state deployed around 33 medical workers, including doctors and laboratory technicians, to help the hospital.
Vasquez said it was a difficult decision to start reviewing the cases, but with limited resources, officials must consider who has * the best * chance of survival.
“Those patients who certainly have no hope of improvement, we believe are better cared for within their own family in love for their own home than thousands of miles away, dying in a hospital room alone,” said Vasquez. said.
At least 40 new cases of coronavirus were reported Thursday in Starr County, bringing the county’s total to 1,701. There have been 17 deaths related to the virus and another 32 are pending state confirmation, local health officials said.
“When we talk about people who have died in our community, we are talking about uncles, cousins, brothers, a co-worker, a relative,” said Vásquez. “We are talking about people who had a close relationship with any of us in one way or another.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Sunday that five teams from the US Navy were being deployed to South Texas to help combat the spread of the virus.
The county order will remain in effect until August 10 and requires residents to shelter in their homes, including those who live in shared hotels, motels, and rentals.
A mandatory curfew was also issued from 11 pm to 5 am for anyone over the age of 18 and from 10 pm to 6 am for residents 17 years of age and younger, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
“Our backs are against the wall,” Judge Vera, who signed the order, said at a press conference. “We are literally in a life and death situation.”
CNN’s Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
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