The Hemphill County Hospital reported this week that its lab has confirmed 48 positive COVID-19 tests in the last 14 days—18 in local residents, and 30 in residents of surrounding counties—an increase in transmission rates that parallels a statewide rise in new cases as the delta variant continues its rapid spread.

While COVID hospitalizations in Texas have leveled off from the pandemic’s winter peak, people under 50 make up a larger share of hospital admissions today, and more Texas hospitals are reporting ICU bed shortages than at any other point in the pandemic.

HCH currently has only one inpatient hospitalized for the coronavirus, but officials reported this week that two patients have been transferred to hospitals with a higher level of care since mid-July—one inpatient who had been hospitalized, and one directly from the emergency room. In addition to one patient in the COVID wing, there are eight other non-COVID patients in the hospital as of Wednesday’s report.

The hospital lab notes that the confirmed positive case numbers they are reporting does not include results for Hemphill County residents who tested elsewhere, nor do they represent the total number of active cases in Hemphill County currently.

Canadian ISD has also been tracking a rise in students and staff members affected by COVID. On Wednesday, the district received notice its tenth confirmed positive report since August 16.. All ten cases are considered active, and each of four campuses have been impacted. Among those testing positive are one CISD staff member, one Canadian Elementary student, three students at Baker Elementary, three at the Middle School, and two students at the High School—including one football player.

Yesterday, after receiving the most recent report of a fifth-grade student testing positive, Superintendent Lynn Pulliam began posting the COVID dashboard on the district’s Facebook page again, as he had promised would happen when the ten-case threshold was met.

Local medical officials continue to encourage community members to take advantage of the availability of vaccines—both at the hospital and at Canadian’s Medic Pharmacy.

Both the Canadian Family Physicians Clinic and Hemphill County Hospital are offering first and second doses of Moderna vaccines every Wednesday in September—the clinic from 8 am to 1 pm, and the hospital from 4:30 to 5:30 pm (see ad on page 5). No appointments are required. Medic Pharmacy is administering Moderna vaccines to walk-ins, without appointments, every Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 4 pm.