Hidalgo County reports 17 more COVID-19 deaths, axes Halloween activities

 Officials with the Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department reported 17 more COVID-19 related deaths 204 new known positive cases Friday.

The new numbers bring the total amount of known COVID-19 cases in the county to 33,352 with 2,337 of them remaining active.  The COVID-19 death toll now stands at 1,841, the county announced in a news release.

Due to the active amount of deaths, Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez announced in the news release that he will be amending his emergency order to forbid the Halloween activity of trick-or-treating.

“The death rate, hospitalizations and rate of infection continue, local medical experts say we are still not out of the woods with this disease,” Judge Cortez stated, adding that legal counsel is drafting language to amend the order. “After reviewing Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and consulting with health experts as well as local mayors, I do not want to expose our children to unnecessary risk as long as this infection continues to spread. Several mayors have said they are coming up with alternative ways to celebrate Halloween this year.”

188 COVID-19 patients remain in area hospitals with 67 of them being treated in intensive care units.