COVID-19 claims the life of Weslaco man in his 30s, 402 test positive

A Weslaco man in his 30s with underlying medical conditions became the latest individual to pass away from COVID-19 over the weekend.

The man’s death came during  a period of time where Hidalgo County Health officials saw 402 new positive cases of the virus, bringing the total number of known positive cases has now surpassed the 3,000-mark with a total of 3,294 known cases.

The total number of people who have died after testing positive for COVID-19 is 32.

“I am very distraught with today’s rising numbers and, in particular, with the report of another death,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said in a statement. “My condolences go out to this man’s friends and family. Our rise in numbers has become a problem and I’ve taken action trying to slow infection rates by limiting mass and social gatherings, and by requiring facial coverings inside of covered spaces and buildings. Ultimately, however, we must protect ourselves.”

There are currently 2,190 net active cases of the disease and 2,829 test results are pending.

The number of people hospitalized in area hospitals with COVID-19 complications rose to 244 people with 19 of those cases being treated in intensive care units. There were 129 people released from isolation over the weekend meaning that they have been symptom-free for 10 days, including three days without a fever.

Starr County reported 48 new cases of the disease Sunday, bringing the total amount of known cases in the county to 598.

471 cases are active with those individuals recovering under medical care.