COVID-19 cases continue their sharp rise in Matagorda County with the per capita rate increasing and hospital admissions on the rise.
The county’s per capita rate Jan. 11 was 15.1% per 1,000 residents – last week the per capita rate was 5.6% - Department of State Health Services (DSHS) data shows.
In addition, DSHS reports 547 new cases in the past 14 days.
Last week, the county’s previous 14-day data show 202 new cases.
In Brazoria County, the per capita rate is 27.8% per 1,000, with 10,333 new cases reported Jan. 11.
“In the first seven days of January, Matagorda County is averaging 55 new positive COVID-19 cases per day,” said MRMC spokesman Tiffany Foltyn.
“Currently there are 15 patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19,” she said.
“At this point, we’re not seeing as many admissions as with previous surges.”
DSHS reports the statewide positivity rate in Texas is now at 36.4 percent - more than 4 times what it was just 30 days ago.
And higher than during peaks in July 2020 and January 2021.
There was brighter news for Texans in a University of Washington study that examined COVID-19 data nationwide and shows Texas hit its peak of COVID-19 infections Jan. 4, which means cases are coming down, CBS Austin reported on
the study’s results.
But, newly reported cases in Texas will peak Jan. 16, the study said, followed by a spike in hospitalizations Jan. 23.
When cases peak, it takes about a week for hospitalizations to catch up, the study also reported.
As of Jan. 9, 19.6 million people have received at least one vaccine dose, which is 67.2% of Texas’ population, and 16.6 million people, or 57%, are fully vaccinated.
So far, 5.2 million people, or 17.7%, have gotten booster shots.
Matagorda County remains at 45.8% of its population, or 16,588 residents, who are fully vaccinated, with 14%, or 5,071 residents, receiving booster shots.
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