COVID-19 spread continues decline in region

Published 5:13 pm Monday, March 7, 2022

Active cases of COVID-19 rose slightly Monday in Gregg County as public health officials released new data that show fewer new cases and a reduced rate of community spread of the virus.

The Northeast Texas Public Health District in its biweekly report Monday showed just 36 new total cases of COVID-19 since Thursday. The number, which includes confirmed and probable cases in the county, is a 40% decrease from the 60 new cases reported on Thursday.

Active cases in Gregg County; however, rose with the three dozen additional cases from 1,705 to 1,740.

The county has had 656 COVID-19 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

According to NET Health, Gregg County on Monday still saw a moderate level of community spread of the virus. Moderate community spread consists of seven-day rolling rates of new cases of between 10 and 35. The county on Monday had a seven-day rolling rate of 11.06 down from 11.29 on Thursday.

Gregg has the second highest seven-day rolling rate of new virus cases among the seven counties for which NET Health provides disease surveillance. Van Zandt County jumped to substantial community spread with a seven-day rolling rate of 38.11 after being at just 6.56 this past week.

The other five counties — Smith, Anderson, Henderson, Rains and Wood — all had rates representing minimal community spread.

NET Health on Monday reported there were 87 patients being treated for COVID-19 in Tyler hospitals. The number reached a pandemic-high of 389 in September.

There were 146 COVID-19 patients on Sunday in the state’s 19-county Trauma Region G, which includes Longview and Tyler, according to data from the Department of State Health Services. On the previous Sunday, there were 192 patients in the region.

In Smith County, NET Health on Monday reported 41 total new cases of the virus in residents since Thursday.

Harrison County Judge Chad Sims on Monday reported a continued decline in average new cases.

There were 120 new cases in the past week compared to 136 the week prior. Average new cases per day in the county went from 19 on the week ending Feb. 28 to 17 this past week.

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

“While our numbers are improving, we should not become complacent,” Sims said in a statement on his official Facebook page. “If you feel ill, please contact your doctor and avoid close contact with others.”