Gregg County COVID-19 transmission levels remain near pandemic-high

Published 6:13 pm Monday, January 17, 2022

Transmission levels of COVID-19 remained near a pandemic-high Monday in Gregg County as public health officials announced more new cases in county residents in the past four days than in all of December.

The seven-day rolling rate of new positive COVID-19 cases was 127.70 in Gregg County, according to the Northeast Texas Public Health District. The district began publishing its data in September 2020, and the highest rate reported before this month was 117.33 in late August to September 2021.

Monday’s rate of new infections is up from the 120.32 reported on Thursday but down slightly from 130.35 a week prior when it reached its highest point.

Monday’s seven-day rolling rate of infection is in an increase of more than 1,100% in less than a month. For the week of Dec. 17 to 23, the county’s rate was 10.02.

Gregg County is also on track to record more new cases of COVID-19 in a single month than at any other time during the pandemic.

NET Health on Monday reported 520 new total — 221 confirmed and 299 probable — cases in the county. There have been 2,489 new cases in county residents this month. The highest number of new cases in a single month was in September when 4,099 were reported in county residents.

Active cases in the county rose by more than 23% in the past four days. On Monday, there were 2,763 active cases in the county compared to 2,243 reported Thursday. The total of active cases is more than 17 times the 159 active cases reported a month ago on Dec. 16.

Gregg and the six other counties for which NET Health provides disease surveillance on Monday remained well above transmission levels representing “substantial” community spread.

Substantial community spread represents large-scale, uncontrolled community transmission of the virus in places such as grocery stores, schools, churches and workplaces.

Gregg County again on Monday had the second highest community transmission rate in NET Health’s jurisdiction surpassed only by Smith County with a seven-day rolling rate of 129.19.

On Monday, NET Health reported there were 213 East Texans being treated for COVID-19 at Tyler hospitals. The county’s hospitalization rates now trend similar to data last seen in mid-to-late October.

Harrison County Judge Chad Sims on Monday said the county’s average number of new cases per day has tripled in the past week. On Monday, there were 147 average new cases per day in Harrison County residents up from 51 on Jan. 10.

Sims also reported three COVID-19 deaths in county residents in the past week.

“While we do see a large increase in new cases, we do not see a large increase in severe cases requiring hospitalizations,” Sims said. “Please do your part to avoid becoming infected and also remember these families who have lost a loved one.”

The number of COVID-19 patients in the state’s 19-county Trauma Region G; however, continued to increase. On Monday, there were 373 patients hospitalized in the region. The hospitalization number includes 95 patients in ICUs and 63 patients on ventilators.

As of Monday in Gregg County, 55.49% of people age 5 and older had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 48.32% of people age 5 and older had been fully vaccinated, according to the state. State data shows 88.67% of people 65 and older in the county had been vaccinated with at least one dose on Monday, while 81.07% 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

Smith County had 988 new cases — 449 confirmed, 539 probable — reported since Thursday. On Monday, there were 5,860 total active cases within the county.

Henderson County had 143 new cases — 103 confirmed, 40 probable — reported since Thursday. On Monday, T=there were 1,081 total active cases within the county.

Van Zandt County had 144 new cases — 64 confirmed, 80 probable — reported since Thursday. On Monday, there were 828 total active cases within the county.

Anderson County had 39 new cases — 19 confirmed, 20 probable — reported since Thursday. There were 825 total active cases within the county on Monday.

Wood County had 144 new cases — 76 confirmed, 68 probable — reported since Thursday. There were 711 total active cases within the county.

Rains County had 19 new cases — 11 confirmed, eight probable — reported since Thursday and there were 144 total active cases within the county.

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