(Seguin) – Efforts to both report and flatten the curve of COVID-19 continues in Guadalupe County.
The Texas Department of State Health Services is currently reporting 1,314 total cases in Guadalupe County. That figure includes 837 confirmed cases by the state along with 141 probable cases and 494 that have recovered. There are also 508 cases pending verification by the state.
On Friday, according to Guadalupe Regional Medical Center, there were 33 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Hospital officials note that that number changes frequently. The seven-day moving average of new COVID-19 hospital admissions per day at GRMC is five.
Liz McCown, GRMC director of risk and legal affairs, says the seven-day moving average of COVID-19 hospitalized patients last week was 38. She says this is like the prior week’s seven day moving average. The daily range of total COVID-19 hospitalized patients for GRMC has been 33 to 44. The state reports that there are now four deaths in Guadalupe County, but GRMC is reporting that there have been 16 COVID-19 related deaths at its facility.
Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher says the county, through its county emergency management office, is doing the best that it can to report the rapidly changing numbers. Kutscher has mentioned that the state has contracted with a third party in effort to verify these backlogged numbers in a timelier manner and are forwarding that information to the county as soon as it is received.
He says once the office is notified, then those pending cases are confirmed as active or because of the timing, maybe even recovered.
“We started hearing a lot of Facebook comments, calls and emails going ‘you are not doing your job putting out the information.’ So, the people that want a breakdown by city or think that COVID may not be a serious as it really is, want to see that chart to say ‘look, it’s not that bad.’ For the folks that think we should shut everything down for ever until COVID is completely gone, they want to see the higher numbers and not the chart because it makes it seem more serious and believe me, there are a bunch of people on far left and far right sides of this – not talking about political affiliation – I’m just saying there are a lot of people on opposite ends of this. I want to be very clear to the audience and the public, that our focus here at the county is trying to be a resource to the cities, trying to work with the state as closely as possible, our school districts, all of our business, our constituents, our taxpayers,” said Kutscher.
While numerous hot spots continue to be reported across the state, local leaders, like Kutscher continue to caution the public about doing what they can to help prevent the spread even more.
“Support each other, practice what we’ve been preaching as a county, a region, a state since March and that’s I think we all have a moral and ethical obligation to protect each other, protect ourselves, our family, our community, do what we can to use good hygiene, to wear a mask when we go out and when we can’t practice social distancing, the limit group sizes, don’t go on unneeded vacations to states who are hot spots. I know this is repetitive and redundant, but we still have people doing all those things. If you feel sick, do not go out in public. There are other means to obtain groceries and shop online and do all those things. We can’t’ stress those issues enough, “said Kutscher. “We want to support the hospital, the families in Guadalupe County and make sure that we don’t have to shut every single business down or have the state come in and say that things have to be shut down. I hope people hear that.”
New numbers for Guadalupe County are expected to again be released publicly later today. Daily updates are available on the county’s website. They are also reported Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday via the Guadalupe County Emergency Management Office Facebook page.