COVID-19 cases on the rise again in Wichita County
COVID-19 numbers are on the rise again in Wichita County, while three deaths from the disease have been reported in the past week, and the Iowa Park Schools reported cases of infected students and a staff member, all of which were considered ‘minimal risk.’
Monday, a 40-49 year old identified as Case 1,093 died from the novel Coronavirus. The county reported two additional deaths Tuesday, when case 1,057 an 80+ year old patient, and case 1,339, a 60-69 year old patient, died from COVID-19. All were reportedly hospitalized at the time of their death.
The school district was notified last Thursday evening that a staff member at Bradford Elementary had tested positive for COVID-19. Monday, Iowa Park High School was notified by the health department of two unrelated cases where students tested positive. All cases reported they had no symptoms while on campus.
Anytime a student or employee of the school district tests positive, parents and staff are notified immediately both by email and through the school district’s Stay Alert program.
The Wichita County-Wichita Falls Public Health Unit have classified all three cases at the schools low risk and have contacted any individuals that they consider to have been potentially been in close contact with the subjects.
Wichita County Health Director Lou Kreidler told The Leader that many factors are taken into consider ation when classifying cases as low, medium or high rise such as who the patient was around, for how long, if all parties were masked, among other criteria.
The length of time each positive case is quarantined is based on time and symptoms, according to Ms. Kreidler. Those who test positive, she said, are quarantined a minimum of 14 days or until resolution of symptoms as well as those they live with. Those who are asymptomatic are quarantined 10 days.
Since last Tuesday, the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health Unit reported 105 new cases of COVID-19 in the county. Of that number, 17 of those are from the Iowa Park zip code, with eight of those identified as Allred Unit inmates.
In their weekly report last Friday, the WF-WCPHU reported 44 active cases in Iowa Park, 22 percent of the county’s cases.
The number of new positive cases brings the total number of active cases in the county to 221, with 90 recoveries reported in the past week. A total of 116 tests were pending as of Tuesday evening. .
The total number of con firmed Covid cases reported in Wichita County since March 18 is 1,347 with 1,100 of those recovered.
To date in Wichita County, a total of 18,452 residents have been tested with 16,989 of those results negative.
The number of those hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 had increased from 16 last week to 22 this week as of Tuesday evening, with two of those listed in critical condition. The latest information on hospitalizations released by the WFWC Public Health District include:
Hospitalizations
Case 258: 70 – 79, stable condition
Case 436: 50 – 59, stable condition
Case 643: 60 - 69, stable condition
Case 758: 40 - 49, stable condition
Case 1,013: 60 - 69, stable condition
Case 1,144: 60 - 69, critical condition
Case 1,152: 80+, stable condition
Case 1,193: 80+ stable condition
Case 1,214: 70 - 79, critical condition
Case 1,218: 70 - 79, stable condition
Case 1,237: 60 - 69, stable condition
Case 1,249: 70 - 79, stable condition
Case 1,250: 70 - 79, stable condition
Case 1,252: 30 - 39, stable condition
Case 1,253: 50 - 59, stable condition
Case 1,278: 60 - 69, stable condition
Case 1,289: 60 - 69, stable condition
Case 1,293: 70 - 79, stable condition
Case 1,295: 50 - 59, stable condition
Case 1,306: 60 - 69, stable condition
Case 1,312: 50 - 59, stable condition
Case 1,332: 60 - 69, stable condition
