COVID-19 Cases Starting to Rise Again

Update Nov. 24

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – As the nation celebrated Thanksgiving last Thursday, ABC News reported the 2020 holiday season was proven to be a catalyst for the spread of COVID-19 spread across the country.

“In the weeks following Thanksgiving of 2020,” the news outlet stated, “the U.S. experienced its most significant viral spread of the pandemic, with nearly 17 million infections, and more than 220,000 virus-related deaths reported between the months of November and January alone.”

Nationally, the U.S. is reporting more than 93,000 new COVID-19 cases each day, up by 46% since late October. In addition, 32 states have seen an uptick in daily cases of 10% or more in the last two weeks.

Across the state of Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services (TxDSHS) reported 2,807 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with 93 related fatalities, on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

In addition, the TxDSHS indicated on Nov. 23, there were 8 estimated, active cases in Houston County with approximately 2,774 people who have recovered. There have also been 86 reported deaths. On Nov.4, there were 18 active cases and 86 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 Monday, Nov. 22 the county had a total of 73 active cases. There have also been 5,486 recoveries and 112 reported deaths. On Nov. 18, there were 73 active cases and 112 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 Nov. 23 showed: Angelina – 96 active cases and 418 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 114 active cases with 418 fatalities; Cherokee – 55 active cases and 227 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 22 active cases with 227 fatalities; Freestone –18 active cases and 71 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 20 active cases with 71 fatalities; Henderson – 104 active cases and 347 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 168 active cases with 346 fatalities; Leon – 18 active cases and 71 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 15 active cases with 70 fatalities; Madison – 20 active cases and 45 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 15 active cases with 45 fatalities; Trinity – 14 active cases and 61 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 27 active cases with 60 fatalities; and Walker – 53 active case and 185 fatalities, on Nov. 18 there were 51 active cases with 185 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 Nov. 23, 2021, over 3.56 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Texas while 72,301 (on Nov. 18 – 71,982) 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 Nov. 23 update showed a total of 47,205,649 Coronavirus tests had been administered in Texas with 2,692 current hospitalizations, up slightly from 2,681 on Nov. 18. In addition, the TxDSHS reported an estimated 4,141,992 recoveries. There have also been 36,745,512 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 Nov. 23, the positivity rate was 6.7%, up from Nov. 18 when the rate stood at 6.54%.

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 Nov. 24, across the US there have been 47,987,991 confirmed cases of COVID-19 – an increase of 454,227 from Nov. 19.

The CSSE further reported there were 773,887 US residents who had suffered a COVID-19 related death as of Nov. 24 – an increase of 5,170 fatalities from Nov. 19. So far in the US, 450,938,256 vaccine doses have been administered.

Worldwide, on Nov. 24, as of 9:22 am, there have been 259,062,478 (on Nov. 19 – 256,310,673) confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 5,170,698 (on Nov. 19 – 5,136,215) deaths attributed to the virus. The CDC, WHO and the CSSE are also reporting 7,480,568,798 vaccine doses have been administered.

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