Wichita County COVID-19 cases double in one week

New COVID-19 cases in Wichita County more than doubled in a week, keeping the spotlight on getting as many people in the county vaccinated as possible to prevent another surge of the deadly virus.

The Center for Disease Control is now calling this a pandemic of the unvaccinated, and the recent spike in cases reflects that most of of the new cases since in the past few months are among the unvacaccinated.

Wichita County Health Director Lou Kreidler said this week, “In some ways we are standing in the same place we were last year. We are seeing an increased number of cases after the Fourth of July. But last year we did not have any choices. This year we do!”

“We have vaccines which have proven to be effective not only in preventing disease but hospitalizations as well,” Kreidler continued.

Since April 1 of this year, 586 Wichita County residents have contracted COVID-19 and only 55 of those were vaccinated, which is less than one percent.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Texas DHSH website was reporting that 39.20 percent of Wichita County residents are fully vaccinated.

As of Friday of last week, 107 new Covid infections were reported in Wichita County, up from 53 the previous week. Also, the death of a 30-39 year old from the novel Coronoavirus was reported.

According to Kreidler, the number of new cases as of Tuesday afternoon has Wichita County on track for an equally bad week this week.

The positivity rate reported by the Wichita Falls Wichita County Health District this week is 27 percent, almost double last week’s rate.

To date, Wichita County has had 74 reinfections (up one from last week), and of those, three are currently active cases. There are also a total of 55 vac vaccine break-through cases. Of the 7 new breakthrough cases, all 7 were symptomatic.

In addition, 61 Covid patients were reported to have recovered here last week.

Hospitalizations have also increased this week, with the Health District reporting 27 individuals in the hospital with the coronavirus as of Tuesday afternoon, 10 of those in critical condition including one person in their 20’s, and three in the 30-39 age group.

Only one of the 27 hospitalized is a vaccine break-through case.

Wichita County is seeing younger patients in critical condition, possibly due to the Delta Variant that was officially discovered in Wichita County last week.

With school beginning in a month, Kreidler urged residents to get vaccinated to protect those who cannot.

“The last two school years have not been normal for kids,” Kreidler said. “This year we have the opportunity to provide them with a sense of normalcy but it will take individuals making the decision to get vaccinated. Our children deserve the right to learn in an environment where they can learn and grow. Get vaccinated to protect yourself. Do it for your kids. Do it for your family and for our community.”

Vaccination

The Wichita Falls Wichita County Health District conducts free COVID-19 immunization clinics each Thursday, and the vaccine is widely available at most pharmacies and medical facilities.

“Get vaccinated to protect yourself. Do it for your kids. Do it for your family and for our community.”

– Lou Kreidler County health director