With nine new coronavirus cases reported in Fannin County on May 22, the total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic rose to 38. However, according to the Fannin County OEM, 20 of those cases have recovered.
Of the new cases reported, five of those cases were reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said the Fannin County Health Authority. Three occurred in the Fannin County Jail and one was self-reported.
“The initial case at the Jail was a late April transfer to the unit from far out of state,” said County Health Authority James Froelich. “He developed a dry cough but no temperature three days after transfer and was immediately removed from the general population. A positive test returned on May 1. The second case at the Jail was his cellmate. The three new cases bring the total number of Fannin County Jail inmates infected with the Coronavirus to five. All infected individuals are males; their ages are 55, 51, 47, 32, and 25.”
According to Warden Stacy King, the two initial cases have been medically cleared from quarantine and the other three inmates are presently in good condition and in isolation. Notably, there have been no inmates reported to have COVID-19 at the Buster Cole State Jail or Choice Moore State Prison despite an active case reported last week in a guard at the Cole Unit.
“Five other cases of Coronavirus were reported by DSHS this week; four of those cases were reported as a group on Thursday. The first positive, reported early in the week, was a 37-year-old male who resides outside of Trenton. As with all reports from DSHS, condition/health status is not reported. Four cases reported together on Thursday, included three males and one female. Two of the males live in Ector, ages 32, and 55, and one male, 48, is from Savoy. The 36-year-old female resides in Bonham. Also, an additional male was self-reported to the County Health Authority by family. He is a 36-year-old living in the Elwood area where he is presently at home, in quarantine. He is asymptomatic but was tested at work at a general screening and found to be positive,” said Froelich.
The Choctaw County Health Department reports that they have a positive SARS-2 test return on a Choctaw County resident that works in Fannin County. The patient and her husband both work at the Bonham V.A. The Choctaw Health Department reports that her test was positive on May 18th. She is quarantined at present with her spouse who is also symptomatic and works at the Bonham V.A.
Froelich concluded, “Nearly all businesses in Texas are now open for business to some extent. With all of the new activity and human mingling, do not let your guard down. We are returning to normalcy however the new normal will still have the new and deadly Coronavirus present. Please do your best to protect others especially the elders in their 70s and 80s where the virus can be fatal in a very large percentage – our seniors deserve that respect. Masks are still a great idea in areas of human concentration. Enjoy the return to the new normal but do it safely for you and everyone else. Be smart and do your part.”
Fatalities from the virus in Fannin County remain at 2.