COVID UPDATE: Death toll reaches 20 in Milam County
Milam County’s death toll from COVID-19 has reached 20.
“It saddens me to report that two more Milam County residents have died because of COVID,” Milam County Judge Steve Young said in his Wednesday evening report. “Two more of our residents have needlessly died because of this terrible virus. This brings the death toll to 20 in Milam County since the pandemic began. This is another grim reminder that we all must do our part by protecting each other. Wear a mask, keep your distance, wash your hands and get vaccinated. There is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel and that light is the vaccine. It is virtually painless and about 95 percent effective.”
Young said the county is still hoping to do more vaccinations next week.
“We are staffed and ready, but we do not have confirmation on how much of the vaccine we will get,” he said. “We have been in contact with the Texas Department of Emergency Management and we hope to know tomorrow.”
The county received 100 doses that are to be used for second round booster shots on Tuesday.
“We will start this process soon for those who were vaccinated on Dec. 30,” Young said. “We are confident there will be an ample supply of second round doses. We will contact those who are to get a booster and get them scheduled in good order.”
He said that Brookshire Brothers in Rockdale has used all of its initial 300 doses and will begin scheduling second round shots very soon. HealthPoint in Rockdale should receive 100 doses this week and Scott & White is accepting vaccination appointments for its patients.
The county will continue with its COVID vaccination waiting list. Please call (254) 697-7000 or email Amy Guillen at aguillen@milamcounty.net to get on the list. Once on the list, an appointment will be scheduled. Right now there are almost 2,000 people on the list.
“Today (Wednesday) we tested 37 individuals in Milano with 12 positive results,” Young said. “Overall, we have tested 2,650 individuals with 767 positive infections which is a 29 percent positivity rate. Tomorrow (Thursday) we will test in Cameron at the Cameron VFD from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are a Milam County resident with COVID symptoms, come see us for a free antigen test.”
Young said that on Monday the county was able to compile COVID infection numbers.
Currently there are 101 active and open cases of COVID-19 infections in Milam County. No one was hospitalized today.
“This is the first time in a week or so, since we turned the contact tracing over to the state,” he said. “We do not count a case as active until we verbally confirm with the infected person that they did in fact, test positive. Since we turned this over to the state there are quite a few people who did not answer the state’s tracing call and thus, we have cases, but not yet confirmed, which is called an open case.”
The hospitalization rate has come down from about 24 percet to 18.5 percent in the last few days in our region. If the rate gets below 15 percent for seven consecutive days, the business occupancy rate will go back up to 75 percent and the bars can reopen.
Current numbers:
1102 total PCR cases
47 active PCR cases – up 2
16 open PCR cases
771 antigen cases
22 active antigen cases – down 1
16 open antigen cases
Total active and open cases in Milam County – 101 – down 37
13 hospitalized- no change
3 on ventilators
20 fatalities – up 2