The number of COVID-19 active cases has maintained in the 70’s and 80’s in Pecos County the past six days after the largest spike in the county since the start of the pandemic.

Pecos County saw its greatest increase in a single day in terms of reporting since the start of the pandemic on Wednesday, Dec. 8.

Active case numbers for Pecos County residents jumped from 47 people to 73 people from Dec. 8 to Dec. 9. The 73 active cases surpassed the previous high for active cases since the start of the pandemic by six people as the previous high was 67, reported on Nov. 2.

Pecos County active case numbers peaked at 87 on Friday, Dec. 11 and of those cases, only six were hospitalized at PCMH.

Currently, active cases in Pecos county are at 79 as of Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Previously, recoveries were keeping pace with new cases but over the past week that has not been the case, and as a result the active case numbers are nearing triple digits.

Since Dec. 9, there have been 95 new active cases reported and 67 recoveries. Of the new cases, 47 have been unknown contractions of the virus.

As of Tuesday, Dec. 15, there were six hospitalizations at PCMH. The total number of deaths in the county has stayed at 23 since Nov. 23.

It was reported on Tuesday, Dec. 15 there have been 714 positive COVID-19 tests from people who reside in Pecos County. OF those cases, 612 have recovered.

There have been 3,484 coronavirus tests administered since the start of the pandemic with 2,562 of those tests coming back negative (73.5 percent). There are currently 47 tests pending and 13 active cases out of the county – meaning those people likely work in the county but live out of the county.

In the county prisons, eight inmates eight inmates are active cases and 10 employees. All those active cases derive from the Lynaugh Unit. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 204 offenders that have tested positive for COVID-19 and 116 employees.

FSISD numbers reach all-time high

Despite there only being online learning after Thanksgiving break, FSISD active case numbers reached an all-time high along with county this past week, as five students and eight staff members were active cases as of Monday, Dec. 14 according to Fort Stockton Superintendent Ralph Traynham.

The 13 active cases combined surpassed the previous active case high of eight employees and students combined, which was reported on Nov. 23 on the FSISD weekly report.

As of Monday, Dec. 14, there has now been 32 students and 26 employees who have tested positive for the coronavirus. That means one out of every 71 students has tested positive for the virus and one out of every 14.5 staff members.

FSISD will begin Christmas break on Dec. 21 before students return to class on Jan. 12. Students will continue to have the option of going to class in-person or taking classes online.