Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials for the second consecutive update reported COVID-19 recoveries outpaced new cases several times over on Monday. Officials in the Nov. 9 COVID-19 update also began weekly state reporting regarding antigen positive COVID-19 tests and cases.
There were 14 new positive COVID-19 cases, 10 more than were reported on Friday, but they do include any lab-confirmed molecular positive results HC/SSEM have been notified of since the Friday report. A total of 42 Hopkins County residents also were reported in the Nov. 6 COVID-19 update to have recovered from COVID-19 over the weekend. That’s three times as many recoveries as new cases on Monday, not as big a difference as on Friday, when 4 new cases and 21 recoveries were reported.
For the first 9 days of November, that’s 45 new cases and 82 recoveries. Not only is that nearly twice as many recoveries as new cases so far this month, but that’s also 6 fewer new cases and 42 more recoveries than during the first 9 days of October.
That reduced the overall active case count to 107, that’s the first time since Oct. 13 that the number of active cases lab-confirmed by molecular testing has been that low. Oct. 14 was close with 108 cases. Oct. 13 there were only 100 active cases, according to the daily updates provided by HC/SSEM.
Cumulatively, since March, 729 Hopkins County residents have received positive molecular COVID-19 test results, including 622 residents who have recovered from the novel coronavirus 2019.
Also, starting today, authorities provided Texas Department of Public Safety antigen “probable” and recovery figures.
“The state is not referring to these as positive cases but probable cases. This probable number only reflects Hopkins County residents and dates back to testing starting on June 23. The state is only reporting the antigen probables on Mondays and that is when we will provide them as well, instead of Fridays,” the Nov. 9 COVID-19 update from HC/SSEM stated.
According to the DSHS, Hopkins County has had 556 cumulative “probable” cases and 430 resulting in probable recoveries since the state began tracking antigen COVID testing results on June 23. That leaves 125 probable active cases, according to the HC/SSEM Nov. 9 COVID-19 update.
The COVID Unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs housed 14 patients, one less than on Friday and the same as on Nov. 3.
On Saturday, 137 COVID-19 tests were administered at the free testing site on Jefferson St. That’s 522 tests conducted at the site so far in November and a cumulative total of 2,915 tests since the free testing site opened on Sept. 25.
The Jefferson Street COVID testing site is scheduled to remain open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays during November, HC/SSEM officials reported in the Nov. 9 COVID-19 update.
To book a test, go online to GoGetTested.com, select “Red Cross/old Fidelity Express — Texas Emergency Management building at 128-A Jefferson St. in Sulphur Springs” or other desired location, then, click Book Now, and follow the prompts.
The Nov. 9 COVID-19 update also reflects the DSHS COVID-19 Case Counts dashboard which shows 44 Hopkins County residents have been confirmed by cause of death certificates to have died from COVID-19. That includes one additional death reported by DSHS on Sunday, Nov. 8. The death, according to the Nov. 9 DSHS County Trends report occurred on Oct. 28, making 2 Hopkins County resident who died on that day and 25 COVID-19 fatalities reported to have occurred in October.
According to Texas Health and Human Services’ Nov. 9 nursing facility report, two additional residents of Carriage House Manor died between Oct. 23 and Oct. 26, for a total of 24 resident COVID-19 fatalities at the facility and 2 active resident COVID-19 cases. There continued to be one active employee case reported for the facility.
Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab reported 1 additional resident COVID-19 death, for a total of 3 resident fatalities at SSH&R as of Oct. 26, the most recent nursing facility data available from HHS on Nov. 9. SSH&R continued to have 8 active resident cases, which would indicate 1 additional resident had tested positive for COVID-19 between the Oct. 23 and Oct. 26 reports to the state. Eight additional SSH&R employees also tested positive for COVID-19, for a total of 9 active employee cases on Oct. 26, according to the HHS data.
Rock Creek Health & Rehab on Oct. 26 reported one additional resident had tested positive for COVID-19, making the second resident case reported at the facility since March, and the only active case at the facility, according to the Nov. 9 HHS report.
Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehabilitation reported 2 fewer active employee cases, reducing the count to 15. All 18 residents who were reported on Oct. 23 to actively have COVID-19 had recovered from the virus on Oct. 26, according to the HHS Nov. 9 nursing facility report.
There continued to be one active resident COVID-19 case at Wesley House on Oct. 26.
