** Updated Nov. 3 with correction to case count at Lamar and Bowie Primary campuses
Hopkins County began November with 16 new positive COVID-19 cases and 19 recoveries, decreasing the overall coronavirus case count from 144 to 141, according to Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management’s Nov. 2 COVID-19 update.
HC/SSEM Nov. 2 COVID-19 Update
Cumulatively, there have been 700 Hopkins County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, including 559 who have recovered from the virus in those 7 1/2 months, according to the Nov. 2 COVID-19 update.
The Monday, Nov. 2 COVID-19 update marked the third consecutive report in which the HC/SSEM officials have reported a decrease in the active case count, dropping from a record 236 active cases on Oct. 28 to 159 on Oct. 29 and 144 on Oct. 30. The 141 active cases reported on Monday, Nov. 2, is also the lowest number of cases since Oct. 21, when the county’s active case count went from 127 Hopkins County residents who had COVID-19 on Oct. 19 to 169 residents with active cases of COVID-19 on Oct. 21.
While the active case counts have gone down, the number of patients in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital Sulphur Springs has continued to grow, rising from 11 cases on Oct. 29 to 14 cases on Oct. 30 and 16 cases on Nov. 2. Since HC/SSEM began reporting patient counts in the COVID unit at CMFHSS in August, the count in the COVID unit has been 16 only two other times, on Sept. 23 and Sept. 29, and higher only once, on Sept. 28.
Ninety COVID-19 tests were performed Saturday, Oct. 31, at the testing site at 128-A Jefferson St. in Sulphur Springs. That makes 2,183 tests performed there in October and 2,393 tests since the site opened on Sept. 25.
The Jefferson Street COVID testing site is scheduled to remain open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each Monday-Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Saturday during November. 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.
SSISD Case Update
Sulphur Springs ISD on Monday reported a dozen additional positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff who were on 5 district campuses during the last week: 2 students at Bowie Primary, 3 staff at Lamar Primary, 2 staff across district campuses, 1 staff and 1 student at Sulphur Springs Elementary, 1 staff and 1 student at Sulphur Springs Middle School and 1 student at Sulphur springs High School.
DSHS Reports
Another COVID-19 fatality has been assigned to Hopkins County, Texas Department of State Health Services announced on Nov. 1. That make 36 Hopkins County residents since July whose cause of death on the death certificate filed with the state office of Vital Statistics is COVID-19. The resident, according to the DSHS data, died on Oct. 18, making the third Hopkins County resident to die on that day and the 18th COVID-19 death in October.
HHS Reports
Texas Health and Human Services reported one additional active employee at Carriage House Manor tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 19. Sunny Springs Nursing & Rehab had 17 active employee cases on Oct. 19, 9 less than on Oct. 16. Rock Creek Rehab continued to have 1 active employee case while Sulphur Springs Health and Rehab continued to report 3 active employee cases on Oct. 19, the most recent data available from HHS for nursing facilities.
Carriage House Manor had 4 active resident cases and, cumulatively, had 58 residents test positive, including 32 who have recovered and 22 who have died; that’s one additional death between Oct. 16 and Oct. 19, according to the Nov. 2 HHS nursing facility report.
Six residents at Sulphur Springs Health and Rehabilitation tested positive for COVID from Oct. 16-19. Cumulatively, the facility as of Oct. 19, had reported 25 residents had tested positive for the virus since March, including 2 who died, according to the Nov. 2 HHS nursing home report.
Sunny Springs continued to report 21 active resident COVID-19 cases on Oct. 19, and has had 4 others who have recovered from the virus, according to the Oct. 19 HHS report.
Wesley House reported one new resident COVID-919 case on Oct. 19, according to the Nov. 2 HHS assisted living facility report.
There were no active COVID-19 cases reported in either employees or students at the 6 licensed child care centers, school-age programs and before and after school programs in Hopkins County on Nov. 1, HHS reported on Nov. 2.
