20 new COVID-19 deaths recorded in Hidalgo County

The Hidalgo County COVID-19 death toll reached 1,718 Thursday as 20 deaths were reported by the county on the same day 214 new positive cases were logged by the county’s health department.

The county total of COVID-19 cases now stands at 32,198 with 2,234 of those cases marked as active as 28,246 COVID-19 patients have been cleared from isolation.

“As I look at the long-term trends, I remain optimistic that our numbers overall are increasing at a slower rate,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said in a statement. “But I remain concerned about the deaths in our county and I ask everyone to pray for these people and their families.”

A total of 173 people are now in area hospitals with COVID-19 related complications. 55 of those patients are being treated in intensive care units.