HOUSTON – Medical authorities in the Houston area and throughout Texas are watching closely for an increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks.
In less than a month, the positivity rate went from 2.65% (in mid-June) to 8% on July 11 in the Harris County, according to county authorities.
In other words, the rate has tripled in the last 30 days, after being at the lowest level for a year.
A similar trend is being experienced in the state of Texas, where the rate fell to 2.29% on June 11.
According to the most recent report of the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (TxDSHS), the positivity rate is on the rise and already stands at 7.43%.
According to medical experts, the Delta variant of COVID-19 is the cause of this gradual increase in infections registered in recent weeks.
Added to this is the comfort of many people who feel that the COVID-19 pandemic is a thing of the past, much more so now that summer meetings and activities have returned without restrictions.
Hospitalizations and deaths also on the rise
An upward trend is also seen in the number of hospitalized patients due to COVID-19.
From 1,428 patients registered on June 27 (the lowest figure since April 20, 2020), 2,100 were hospitalized on July 11.
That is, in less than a month there has been a 50% increase in people hospitalized due to the virus, according to the TxDSHS.
Dr. Shapiro explains to us about this new variant of the coronavirus.
Last week, the authorities in charge of handling the issue of the pandemic at the federal level warned that 99% of the deaths generated by the pandemic occur among people who have not been vaccinated.
In Harris County, for example, 52% of the population eligible to receive the immunization is fully vaccinated, that is, about 2 million people.
At the state level, the percentage of fully vaccinated people drops to 42% of the population, or about 12 million residents.
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