NET Health: COVID-19 cases in Smith County increase over the weekend

Published 5:43 pm Monday, December 13, 2021

The total number of active COVID-19 cases in Smith County increased over the weekend, according to public health data.

The Northeast Public Health District’s most recent virus statistics released Monday show 531 total active cases in the county, compared to 513 reported Thursday.

Smith County also saw 86 new total cases — 56 confirmed and 30 probable — reported in Monday’s data. Just one month ago at the beginning of November, there were over 1,000 total active cases within the county.

Overall, new cases have been trending downward in Smith County. Throughout the month of October, there were 2,005 new COVID-19 cases reported within the county compared to September, in which new cases totaled 8,351, according to NET Health data. In November, there were 504 new cases in Smith County.

Smith County’s community spread levels continue to fluctuate between minimal to moderate. As of Monday, Smith County has gone back up to a moderate community spread level of 10.12.

The minimal community spread window consists of a rate of between zero and 10 and indicates evidence of isolated cases or limited community transmission, that cases are underway and that there is no evidence of exposure in large, congregate settings. The level of community spread is determined by taking the average number of all COVID-19 positive cases from the previous seven days. That number is then divided by the population of the county and multiplied by 100,000.

Wood County has the highest moderate spread level in NET Health’s seven-county jurisdiction at 10.97, followed by Van Zandt County at 10.35. All other counties remain in minimal spread levels, with Anderson County at the lowest level of 3.46.

In the week ending Sept. 23, each county had levels of community spread that were substantial — or 35 or more new cases per week adjusted for population.

There have been 37,607 COVID-19 cases in Smith County since the pandemic began. NET Health reports 36,652 total recoveries in Smith County.

According to NET Health, there were 58 East Texans being treated for COVID-19 at Tyler hospitals on Monday. The last time Smith County saw a similarly low local hospitalization rate was in late July. Monday’s data is 85% lower than the hospitalization rate of 389 reached in September in Tyler.

No Smith County jail inmates had an active diagnosis of COVID-19, according to NET Health’s data on Monday, and one inmate has died due to COVID-19.

On Monday, there were 108 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the state’s 19-county Trauma Region G, approximately one more than Thursday. Of COVID patients hospitalized, 34 of those are in ICUs and 22 patients are on ventilators. In the first half of September, hospitalizations reached 822, the highest number of single-day COVID-19 hospitalizations in the region since the pandemic began.

As of Monday in Smith County, 53% of people age 5 and older had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 46.75% of people age 5 and older had been fully vaccinated, according to the state.

State data shows 84.72% of people 65 and older in the county had been vaccinated with at least one dose on Monday, while 78.72% of that population had been fully vaccinated. As of Nov. 4, children 5 to 11 years of age are included in vaccination numbers and rates.

Other Counties

Gregg County had 26 new cases — 16 confirmed, 10 probable — reported since Monday. There are 149 total active cases within the county. There have been 19,110 total recoveries reported.

Henderson County had 21 new cases — 14 confirmed, seven probable — reported since Monday. There are 148 total active cases within the county. There have been 9,714 total recoveries reported.

Van Zandt County had 17 new cases — 14 confirmed, three probable — reported since Monday. There are 152 total active cases within the county. There have been 8,068 total recoveries reported.

Anderson County had 11 new cases — four confirmed, seven probable — reported since Monday. There are 64 total active cases within the county. There have been 5,541 total recoveries reported.

Wood County had 18 new cases — eight confirmed, 10 probable — reported since Monday. There are 140 total active cases within the county. There have been 6,467 total recoveries reported.

Rains County had two probable new cases reported since Monday and there are 13 total active cases within the county. There have been 1,508 total recoveries.

Total recoveries and total active cases include probable and confirmed data. Data gathered in Monday’s report represents the past 96 hours, from noon Thursday to noon Monday.