EDINBURG, Texas – Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez is begging people to abide by his shelter in place order and stay at home.
Cortez made his plea the day after another ten cases related to the coronavirus were reported in Hidalgo County. The ten cases brings to 38 the total number of people diagnosed with the disease in the county.
“I ask you, I beg you, please stay at home,” Cortez tweeted on Tuesday morning.
On Monday, Cortez posted this video on You Tube:
Cortez said the most recent ten positive cases come at a critical time during his shelter at home order.
During the next few weeks, he said, staying at home will be the safest thing that everyone can do to avoid contracting the highly contagious strain of coronavirus.
“I’m so proud of all of you who have adhered to this order,” Cortez said. “I know a lot of hardship on businesses and individuals have resulted from this order.”
Cortez noted that every medical expert has said the same thing: “The best way to stop the spread of this disease is to stay home.”
With regard to the ten new cases, Cortez said he and Hidalgo County health officials have notified local leaders in the seven communities where residents received word of their positive test.
He said investigators are at the early stages of determining whether the cases are travel related as well as determining where the infected patients have been recently in the community. He said all have been ordered to self isolate.
Those infected include:
AGE
GENDER
CITY
45
Male
Mission
14
Male
Mission
37
Male
San Juan
27
Male
Pharr
32
Male
McAllen
64
Female
Pharr
60
Female
Weslaco
30
Female
Mercedes
77
Female
McAllen
19
Female
Donna
Because of the preliminary nature of the investigation, no further information was made available about the cases.
Cameron County
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The situation in Cameron County is also becoming more critical. On Monday, Cameron County Public Health received confirmation of six additional cases of COVID-19.
These include five individuals from Harlingen, including four males between the ages of 29 – 65 and one 52 year-old female.
“With the exception of a 36 year-old male who is linked to a case previously reported, they are all travel-related,” the health department stated.
The sixth case is an 18-year old female from Brownsville who is a community transmission case as she did not report any travel outside of Cameron County nor contact with another known COVID-19 case.
Community transition cases are the ones that worry health officials the most.
All of the new Cameron County cases are in isolation, the health department stated.
This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases in Cameron County to 26.
“Cameron County Public Health continues operations as part of the COVID-19 response plan and is conducting the epidemiological investigation to identify others who may have been exposed and test the individuals showing signs and symptoms,” the health department stated.
Cameron County Public Health has issued these guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
Practice physical distancing by keeping your distance 6 feet from others.
If you are sick, call your doctor and home isolate.
Do not go outside the home unless it is absolutely necessary.
Practice good hygiene practices for everyday prevention measures, including frequent handwashing.
Covering when coughing or sneezing.
Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
