Hidalgo County reports 23 more COVID-19 deaths, 480 new cases

The Hidalgo County COVID-19 death toll climbed to 1,071 Friday as 23 more people died from complications related to COVID-19.

The county also reported another 480 people have tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of known COVID-19 positive cases to 23,993, with 4,418 of those cases marked as active.

“These numbers, particularly of those who died, should bring pain to us all as a community. These are our family, friends and neighbors who are falling victim to this terrible disease. I send them all my prayers and I send those who knew them my condolences,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said in a Friday news release. “To everyone else, I send my plea to protect yourselves by staying home unless absolutely necessary, to continue using face coverings and keeping your distance from others when you do venture out. These common-sense measures can save your life and stop the pain of our community.”

Friday saw a total of 414 people in hospitals, down slightly from the 445 people in area hospitals the day before. 164 of those patients are in intensive care units.

The county reported an additional 786 people that were released from isolation Friday contributing to the total of 18,504 people who have been released in Hidalgo County since the start of the pandemic.