Hopkins County Emergency Management officials reported they’d received notification in the last 48 hours of 3 new positive COVID-19 cases, bumping the number of active COVID-19 cases in Hopkins County to 50 on Sept. 4.
That’s 9 new cases reported so far in September and 12 new cases reported this week. That’s less than half the number of cases reported during the first 4 days of August but two man than on July 4. The cumulative total of cases reported for Hopkins County since midMarch as of Friday afternoon was 252 cases.
So far, there have only been 6 patients recoveries reported in September, and nine this week. Hopkins County lags far behind the Aug. 4 report of 30 patient recoveries, but still ahead of July’s pace; there were no patient recoveries reported in July until the 10th. Overall, 202 of the 252 Hopkins County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 since March have recovered, according to HCEM data.
The number of patients in the COVID-19 Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs had only three patients on Friday, that’s one less than on Sept. 2
Also, 29 antigen tests conducted at testing facilities within Hopkins County from Aug. 27-Sept. 4 reported a total of 29 positive test results, according to the Local Health Authority.
“These reflect Hopkins county residents only, will be reported weekly, will not count towards state numbers and will not be shown as ‘recovered,'” the HCEM and LHA officials noted in the Sept. 4 COVID-19 update.
The results reported daily by HCEM are molecular tests with positive results reported to local officials by the state.
Antigen, Molecular and Antibody Testing
The LHA nurse provided clarifications regarding three different types of COVID-19 testings: antigen, molecular PCR and antibody testing.
Anibody tests are blood tests that show coronavirus exposure, only, not positive results. This type of test is not reliable for a positive or negative result, the LHA reports.
Antigen tests, like molecular tests, use a nasal or oral swab. The antigen test is often called a “rapid test, and is good for positive results after a waiting period after exposure. This type of test typically has little or no false positives, but is NOT reliable for negative results; it has up to a 50 percent false negative rate. These tests are also not reported widely to local health entities, according to the LHA nurse.
The molecular-PCR test is the most reliable for negatives and positives after a waiting period after exposure. The false negative rate is 2 percent or lower and false positive rate is 5 percent or lower, according to the LHA nurse. Thus, the free COVID-19 tests offered by the state at partnering locations such as Hopkins County Regional Civic Center are molecular tests. Although more reliable, these tests take longer for a return on results. However, when a test comes back positive on these tests, they are reported to county officials and local health departments and are reflected in the state’s county case count reports, according to the LHA nurse.
Free COVID-19 Testing
During the last round of free COVID-19 testing offered Aug. 20-Sept. 2 at the Civic Center, a total of 615 tests, including 42 on the last day of testing. Free COVID testing will resume Sept. 7-9, and Sept. 11-12, at the Hopkins County Civic Center. Registration will be online at GoGetTested.com
Anyone looking for a free testing site outside of Hopkins County before that time or in need of a test next week can go online to GoGetTested.com to register for a test. Testing sites, addresses, next available test times, number of available tests, wait time at each site, wait time for test results is available on that website.
Hopkins County COVID-19 Deaths
Texas Department of State Health Services showed another death reported for Hopkins County. That’s a total of 8 COVID-19 deaths assigned to Hopkins County since the state began using death certificate data when assigning and reporting COVID-19 fatalities in late July.
The latest death assigned to Hopkins County is reported to have occurred on Aug. 28, for a total of 6 Hopkins County residents who DSHS reports died in August for COVID-19. Previously, DSHS reported two Hopkins County residents died from COVID-19 on Aug. 17; and one death each on July 17, July 23, Aug. 2, Aug. 4 and Aug. 7.
Child Care Centers
Texas Health and Human Services Sept. 4 reported no active cases among the five child care centers listed for Hopkins County as of Sept. 3, but all 5 have reported at least 1 employees who has tested positive for COVID-19 and one center has had a student who tested positive since March. Those cumulative totals of positive cases since March by facility include:
- Little Texans Learning Center – 2 employees
- Sulphur Springs Christian Preschool – 1 employee
- His Kids Learning Center – 1 enrolled students, 1 employee
- Annekes Preschool – 1 employee
- Water Oak Preschool – 1 employee
Data in this HHS report reflects COVID-19 cases for children enrolled and employees at licensed child care centers, school-age programs, and before or after-school programs. The provider self-reported the data to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) as of Sept. 3, 2020. If an operation is not listed in the report, the operation has not reported a positive COVID-19 diagnosis to HHSC.
HHSC may only release information related to an operation that is one of the following:
- A Licensed Child Care Center (LCCC) that provides care and supervision to seven or more children age 13 or younger at a location other than the caregiver’s home.
- A School-Age Program (SAP) that provides care and supervision, including the supervision of recreation or skills instruction or training, to children attending pre-kindergarten through sixth grade before and/or after the customary school day, during school holidays, and during the summer period or any other time when school is not in session.
- A Before or After-school Program (BAP) that provides care and supervision, including the supervision of recreation or skills instruction or training, to children attending pre-kindergarten through sixth grade before and/or after the customary school day and during school holidays.
For more information about a child care operation, including total capacity and compliance history, visit “Search Texas Child Care” on Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website, www.dfps.state.tx.us.
Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities
There were no active cases of COVID-19 in either employees or residents of Sulphur Springs nursing homes on Aug. 21, the most recent report data available, according to the Sept. 4 Health and Human Services report.
The three employee cases reported by Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab are cumulative, not active cases on Aug. 21, according to the Texas Health and Human Services report. Carriage House Manor, Rock Creek Health and Rehabilitation, and Sunny Springs Nursing and Rehab had reported no cases in either employees or residents as of Aug. 21.
There were no active cases in either employees or residents of Sulphur Springs assisted living facilities as of Aug. 21. Wesley House had had 4 employee and 7 residents who tested positive for COVID-19, however, starting Aug. 21, there were no active cases among either. Hopkins House has reported no resident or employee cases since the state began tracking data for assisted living facilities, according to the Sept. 4 HHS assisted living facility report.
