COVID-19 Case Numbers Continue Slow Down

Update Oct. 29

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – In an Oct. 28 report by NBC News, it was stated, “The number of new Covid-19 cases in the United States has dropped by nearly a quarter in the last two weeks, further signaling a downward trend in the country’s fourth wave of the pandemic. The country has averaged about 70,000 new cases per day from Oct. 14 to Oct. 27, a decrease of 22 percent from the two weeks prior. The number of Covid-related deaths also dropped during that time by about 14 percent.”

The report further stated, “Overall, new cases have fallen 57 percent since Sept. 13, the peak of the fourth wave, which saw an average of more than 166,000 new cases daily.”

Across the state of Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services (TxDSHS) reported 3,299 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with 183 related fatalities, on Thursday, Oct. 28.

In addition, the TxDSHS indicated on Oct. 28, there were 40 estimated, active cases in Houston County with approximately 2,737 people who have recovered. There have also been 80 reported deaths. On Oct. 7, there were 103 active cases and 77 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. 28 the county had a total of 203 active cases. There have also been 5,279 recoveries and 111 reported deaths. On Oct. 7, there were 872 active cases and 106 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. 28 showed: Angelina – 253 active cases and 405 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 827 active cases with 378 fatalities; Cherokee – 36 active cases and 219 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 115 active cases with 201 fatalities; Freestone –51 active cases and 67 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 100 active cases with 64 fatalities; Henderson – 341 active cases and 334 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 1,817 active cases with 314 fatalities; Leon – 26 active cases and 69 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 128 active cases with 62 fatalities; Madison – 44 active cases and 43 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 57 active cases with 42 fatalities; Trinity – 69 active cases and 60 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 67 active cases with 53 fatalities; and Walker – 61 active case and 180 fatalities, on Oct. 7 there were 154 active cases with 170 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. 28, 2021, over 3.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Texas while 69,668 (on Oct.7 – 65,690) 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. 28 update showed a total of 44,907,717 Coronavirus tests had been administered in Texas with 3,784 current hospitalizations, down from 7,117 on Oct. 7. In addition, the TxDSHS reported an estimated 4,025,088 recoveries. There have also been 34,149,404 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. 28, the positivity rate was 5.94%, down from Oct. 7 when the rate stood at 9.7%.

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. 29, across the US there have been 45,836,469 confirmed cases of COVID-19 – an increase of 1,661,311 from Oct. 8.

The CSSE further reported there were 743,565 US residents who had suffered a COVID-19 related death as of Oct. 29 – an increase of 33,246 fatalities from Oct. 8. So far in the US, 414,543,104 vaccine doses have been administered.

Worldwide, on Oct. 29, as of 10:21 am, there have been 245,746,227 (on Oct. 8 – 236,917,231) confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 4,985,122 (on Oct. 8 – 4,837,772) deaths attributed to the virus. The CDC, WHO and the CSSE are also reporting 6,947,883,074 vaccine doses have been administered.

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