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COVID-19 Case Numbers Starting to Slow

Update Oct. 8

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – The latest news on the recent COVID-19 surge in Texas is more positive than it has been in a while, according to information published by the Texas Tribune on Oct. 7.

The statistics, however, are still very alarming. According to the Texas Tribune article, “On average, 270 people in Texas died from COVID-19 every day in the last month. Vaccine doses reported decreased by 26,138 doses compared with the 30-day average a month ago. An average 56,252 vaccine doses were reported each day in the last month and 51.4% of Texans are fully vaccinated.”

The article went on to state, “Average new cases decreased by 2,525 cases compared with the seven-day average a week ago. Hospitalizations decreased by 1,849 patients compared with a week ago. Average new deaths decreased by 36 deaths compared with the seven-day average a week ago.”

Across the Lone Star State, the Texas Department of State Health Services (TxDSHS) reported another 5,935 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with 257 related fatalities, on Thursday, Oct. 7.

In addition, the TxDSHS indicated on Oct. 7, there were 103 estimated, active cases in Houston County with approximately 2,605 people who have recovered. There have also been 77 reported deaths. Last week, there were 148 active cases and 76 deaths.

The first cases of COVID-19 were reported in Houston County on April 17 of last year, when it was learned three individuals had tested positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, in Anderson County, it was announced on Thursday, Oct. 7 the county had a total of 872 active cases. There have also been 4,435 recoveries and 106 reported deaths. Last week, there were 1,149 active cases and 99 deaths.

On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, it was reported Anderson County had its first confirmed case of the virus.

The number of active cases and cumulative fatalities per county – for those counties surrounding Houston and Anderson Counties – as of Oct. 7 showed: Angelina – 827 active cases and 378 fatalities, last week there were 946 active cases with 361 fatalities; Cherokee – 115 active cases and 201 fatalities, last week there were 149 active cases with 189 fatalities; Freestone –100 active cases and 64 fatalities, last week there were 126 active cases with 63 fatalities; Henderson – 1,817 active cases and 314 fatalities, last week there were 1,753 active cases with 297 fatalities; Leon – 128 active cases and 62 fatalities, last week there were 161 active cases with 60 fatalities; Madison – 57 active cases and 42 fatalities, last week there were 68 active cases with 42 fatalities; Trinity – 67 active cases and 53 fatalities, last week there were 74 active cases with 49 fatalities; and Walker – 154 active case and 172 fatalities, last week there were 170 active cases with 163 fatalities.

The Messenger first started tracking the spread of the virus in the East Texas area on Wednesday, March 25 of last year. At that time, TxDSHS reported 974 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus Disease and 12 deaths throughout the Lone Star State.

Also, on that Wednesday, the TxDSHS indicated 82 out of 254 counties in the state of Texas had at least one confirmed case of COVID-19. Of those counties – as of March 25, 2020 – the only county with a confirmed case of the Coronavirus bordering Houston or Anderson County was Walker County.

By Oct. 7, 2021, over 3.42 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Texas while 65,690 (last week 63,976) Texans had suffered a COVID-19 related death. Furthermore, 254 out of 254 – or 100% of counties in the state of Texas – now have at least one active case of COVID-19.

The Oct. 7 update showed a total of 42,863,872 Coronavirus tests had been administered in Texas with 7,117 current hospitalizations, down from 9,005 last week. In addition, the TxDSHS reported an estimated 3,811,083 recoveries. There have also been 32,864,271 vaccine doses given in Texas.

Another metric touted by state officials has been the positivity rate. The positivity rate is found by dividing the number of new cases (previous 7 days) by the number of new test results (previous 7 days).

On Oct. 7, the positivity rate was 9.7%, down from last week when the rate stood at 11.37%.

Moving to the national stage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE), as of Oct. 8, across the US there have been 44,175,158 confirmed cases of COVID-19 – an increase of 704,088 from a week ago.

The CSSE further reported there were 710,319 US residents who had suffered a COVID-19 related death as of Oct. 8 – an increase of 12,170 fatalities from a week ago. So far in the US, 398,074,006 vaccine doses have been administered.

Worldwide, on Oct. 8, as of 9:21 am, there have been 236,917,231 (last week – 233,941,008) confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 4,837,772 (last week – 4,786,737) deaths attributed to the virus. The CDC, WHO and the CSSE are also reporting 6,418,381,132 vaccine doses have been administered.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].  

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