NET Health reports 980 new cases of COVID-19 in Smith County

Published 5:08 pm Monday, September 13, 2021

The Northeast Texas Public Health District reported 980 new COVID-19 cases in Smith County since Thursday and 360 East Texans being treated for the virus at Tyler hospitals on Monday.

The data released Monday afternoon included 397 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Smith County. Data gathered by NET Health is from Thursday at noon through Monday at noon.

Monday’s report appears to show another ease in the rate of new cases in the county after NET Health spokesman Terrence Ates called numbers in a Sept. 7 report “eye-popping.”

The report, which included five days of testing, showed 3,459 new confirmed and unconfirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county or about 28.83 new cases per hour. On Thursday, NET Health reported 500 cases in the previous 48 hours, which is about 10.41 new cases per hour. On Monday, 980 new cases across four days represents about 10.21 cases per hour.

Active cases in Smith County rose from 5,110 on Thursday to 6,087 on Monday. The county’s recoveries from the virus remained nearly unchanged at 14,688. There have been 31,302 total cases — confirmed and probable — in the county since the pandemic began.

NET Health routinely updates the levels of community spread of COVID-19 for the seven counties it covers. However, the numbers on Monday had not changed since Thursday when each of the seven counties far surpassed the threshold for “substantial” community spread.

Substantial community spread represents “large-scale, uncontrolled community transmission,” according to NET Health.

The health district also provides disease surveillance for Gregg, Anderson, Henderson, Rains, Van Zandt and Wood counties.

According to NET Health, 360 East Texas patients were being treated Monday in Tyler hospitals for COVID-19. The number is down from a peak high of 389 during the Labor Day weekend.

In the state’s Trauma Region G, which includes Tyler and Longview, daily hospitalization numbers for COVID-19 remain near pandemic highs, but they have come down some in recent days.

The single-day record was 822 on Wednesday, {span}according to the Texas Department of State Health Services{/span}. Since then, hospitalization numbers in the region, which encompasses 19 counties, have dipped below 800 twice. On Monday, the latest day for which data was available, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported 789 COVID-19 patients in Trauma Region G hospitals, 256 of those in the ICU.

In Smith County, 53.21% of people 12 and older had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, while 44.93% of people 12 and older had been fully vaccinated, according to the state.

State data states 81.45% of people 65 and older had been vaccinated with at least one dose, while 74.60% of that population had been fully vaccinated.

In Gregg County, 54.47% of people 12 and older had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 45.35% of people 12, and older had been fully vaccinated on Tuesday, according state data show.

According to the state, 83.07% of people 65 and older had been vaccinated with at least one dose, while 75.49% of that population had been fully vaccinated.

Other counties

Gregg County had 1,081 confirmed and 2,608 probable active cases Thursday. Confirmed recoveries were at 7,111, while there were 6,354 probable recoveries, according to NET Health.

Henderson County had 931 active confirmed cases and 634 probable active cases, NET Health said. Confirmed recoveries were at 4,670, and there were 2,344 probable recoveries in the county, NET Health said.

Van Zandt County had 670 confirmed active cases and 602 probable active cases, NET Health said. Confirmed recoveries were at 3,302, and 2,144 people had likely recovered in Van Zandt County, NET Health reported.

Anderson County had 209 confirmed, active cases and 664 probable active cases, NET Health said. Confirmed recoveries were at 2,140, and probable recoveries were at 1,714, the health district reported.

Wood County had 600 confirmed, active cases and 719 probable active cases, NET Health said. Confirmed recoveries in Wood County were at 2,396, and there were 1,769 probable recoveries, NET Health said.

Rains County had 123 confirmed, active and 156 probable active diagnoses, NET Health said. Confirmed recoveries were at 504, and there were 487 probable recoveries, according to NET Health.

There are 13,871 men with a diagnosis and 16,887 women with a diagnosis. Approximately 3,538 individuals from 0 to 20 years of age have a diagnosis, while 5,871 individuals aged 21 to 40 years of age also have a diagnosis. There are 4,364 individuals aged 41 to 59 with a diagnosis, 2,976 individuals aged 60 to 79 with a diagnosis, as well as 787 individuals over 80 years of age.