42 Hospitalized as 58 More in San Angelo Identified as COVID-19 Positive

SAN ANGELO, TX — The COVID-19 infection rate stayed high with the Saturday, Oct. 31 report. The San Angelo Health Department reported 58 new positive cases: 12 PCR positive test results and 46 antigen positive case results.

In addition to the 58 new cases, the health department reported one death, identified only as a Menard man in his 60s. This increases the total COVID-19-related death count up to 90 — 56 from Tom Green County and 34 from other counties.

Hospitalizations increased as well, inching from 37 reported yesterday to 42 today.

October 31, 2020

• Total positive cases: 4,982
• Active cases: 527
• Currently hospitalized: 42
• There are 58 new positive cases of COVID-19 to report today: 12 PCR cases and 46 antigen cases.

31 de octubre de 2020

• Total de casos positivos: 4,982
• Casos activos: 527
• Actualmente hospitalizado: 42
•  
• Hay 58 nuevos casos positivos de COVID-19 para informar hoy: 12 casos PCR y 46 casos de antígeno.

The percentage of patients in area hospitals suffering from COVID-19 became a statistic to watch yesterday when San Angelo officials said a 15 percent COVID-19 hospitalization rate would result in closing businesses and shutting down the local economy.

San Angelo COVID-19 Hospitalizations at 7 Percent

The Texas Department of Health and Human Services reported today that Trauma Service Area K, where San Angelo sits at its hub, and the west Texas region spans from Sutton County to the south to Coke County in the north, then from Crockett County west of here to Mason County to our east, had 41 hospitalized. This equates to a 7 percent hospitalization rate, meaning 7 percent of all hospitalizations in TSA K are COVID-19-related. Using proportions, should hospitalizations exceed 88 COVID-19 patients, or 15 percent, San Angelo could face a new round of lockdowns, officials said Friday. However, in previous interviews, we learned that hospital capacity is a moving target. It can surge or contract based on resources and the number of employees.

The disparity between the County Health’s report of 42 hospitalizations and the State’s 41 hospitalizations can be attributed to the State’s reporting lagging local reporting.

Here are the details on the COVID-19 positive cases reported today: