Health official says COVID numbers are improving, but encourages residents to ‘stay the course.'
Erath County officials on Tuesday reported 17 new cases of COVID-19; nine in Stephenville, two in Dublin and six in the county, bringing the total to 749 with 76 of those still considered active.
There have been no new reports of additional hospitalizations.
Dr. Kelly Doggett, Stephenville’s health authority, told Beneath the Surface News that although there has been a slight improvement in the numbers, 13 new cases were reported on Monday.
“I would say numbers have flattened out and are trending down,” Doggett said. “The situation at Tarleton has definitely improved.”
Doggett said the latest numbers from the Texas Department of State Health Services show 834 cases in Erath County.
“Due to the way the cases are counted by the state and the lag time, their numbers differ from our totals,” Doggett explained. “Overall cases in Texas and 20 other states saw decreases of 10% last week, but 21 other states saw 10% increases.
“We need to stay the course and continue social distancing, wearing masks and washing our hands. This may help prevent or diminish the second wave of the epidemic many experts are predicting this fall.”
Doggett said the only thing that is certain is that the pandemic is still not over.
“We all need to do our part, otherwise this will drag on and on,” he said. "We can do this."
Thank you for providing this update on the improving COVID-19 numbers in our community. It's heartening to see progress being made, but it's crucial that we continue to stay the course and follow public health guidelines. While we focus on managing the pandemic, let's also remember the importance of comprehensive healthcare, which includes end-of-life care like hospice care. COVID-19 has highlighted the need for robust healthcare systems that can adapt to various challenges. Together, we can protect our communities and ensure that individuals have access to the care they need at all stages of life