FIVE CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19 IN WASHINGTON CO.

Josh Blaschke Send an email March 27, 2020
45 367
  

A Washington County Commissioner has self-quarantined as the county has reported its fifth confirmed case of COVID-19.

Emergency Management Coordinator Bryan Ruemke told KWHI this (Friday) morning he was notified today of two newly confirmed cases, bringing the total of confirmed cases in the county up to five.

Update @12:55 p.m.: According to Ruemke, the county’s confirmed cases involve two individuals in their 40s, one person over the age of 60, and two in their 80s and 90s.

Update @ 9:30 a.m.: According to County Judge John Durrenberger, Commissioner Kirk Hanath is currently under self-imposed quarantine, as his wife works at Brenham Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  The dealership is voluntarily closed for 14 days, after it was announced Thursday a male employee of the dealership tested positive for COVID-19.

Brenham Chrysler Jeep Dodge owner Jeff Hazlewood said the dealership was shut down immediately after the employee’s test came back positive, in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.  He said the dealership is currently looking into companies who can deep-clean and sanitize the dealership and shop.

Hazlewood added that while some may take this as an opportunity to talk down on the business, he would appreciate any and all support that can be given during this time.

Ruemke said the county is planning to issue a press release later today with more information on COVID-19.

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Josh Blaschke Send an email March 27, 2020
45 367

45 Comments

  1. I wonder what the numbers would be if we knew how many people got it and showed little or no symptoms and never got tested (never counted)

  2. This has gone way overboard $
    Since October over 25,000 people have died from the flu
    And less the 2,000 have died from covid-19
    How come we never shut down for the flu
    ?????????????
    The flu is deadlier
    Yet it’s been ignored
    More people have died in car accidents
    Are we going to stop driving too
    I doubt it

    1. You’re absolutely correct! We should insist that the numbers who contract the seasonal flu, & those who die from it, be reported as aggressively as this has been!

    2. We never shut down from the flu because the flu is not this super virus that COVID-19 is turning into.
      You are part of the problem. Downplaying this to the flu and car accidents is contributing to those who think they don’t need to worry about themselves or the health and well-being of others.
      Please educate yourself on what this virus REALLY is through the CDC and various other medical and scientific informative websites.

    3. You need to do some reading and general research on why this pandemic is currently different and more threatening than the general flu. Read locally, nationally, and globally. Look at the science and hard facts. Get a better picture.

    4. Obviously you have not looked at the data or listened to the doctors that are researching this virus. .01% flu death mortality 1-3% COVID-19 death mortality. Do your research. Per case per death the COVID-19 is a lot deadlier. Get out of your bubble and quit thinking this is not serious. All the government doctors have said this virus is a lot deadlier. Look at the Socorro that discovered this virus, he no longer lives because of this. Ask Mew York how bad this is. Look at the healthcare workers that have died already trying to help these people. 44 healthcare workers in New York last I heard have died. If you don’t think this is anything, put your life at risk and do something to help others I am a fireman myself and worry about bringing it home to my family. I am on the front line while your in your little glass bubble.

    5. The flu was a pandemic in 1918. They shut down then. The reason that 25,000 people that died from the flu isn’t top priority is because in the 2018-2019 year estimate for how many people catch the flu per CDC was about 36 million. So compared to Coronavirus, it’s way less fatal. We currently have 616,088 cases reported of coronavirus and 28,367 deaths. Do the math and that’s about a 4.6% death rate. Tell me how this isnt concerning. If 36 million people were to have coronavirus there would be about 1.7 million deaths, compared the the 34,000 that died from the flu. Let’s not compare a virus that’s young, to a virus that’s been around for over 100 years.

    6. The reason that the flu is not as concerning as COVID 19 is because per CDC about 36 million people had the flu in the 2018-2019 year and 34,000 have died. Compared to the coronavirus that’s not nearly as fatal. 616,088 cases have been confirmed of the coronavirus so far, and there have been 28,376 deaths. If you do the math, that’s about a 4.8% death rate. If 36 million people were to catch the coronavirus, there would be about 1.7 million deaths. Let’s not compare a virus that’s been around for over 100 years to one that hasn’t been around for 6 months. Do your research and you’ll see why its concerning.

    7. Right at the moment, the death rate for COVID-19 appears lower because almost all who need to be hospitalized are, It appears that about 20% of those infected qill need hospitalization. We have not reached the tip of the iceberg. This virus will explode in several weeks. Hospitals will be overrun, medical workers will be in short supply. That is when folks will see just how deadly COVID-19 is, This is a RNA based virus, akin to SARS & Ebola, It is far different from the flu virus. Flu medications do not help. The best hope is that we can find medication that helps and a safe vaccine. Likely a vaccine is many months away. Something from research into SARS & Ebola may speed things up. We also have information from other countries that can help. However, if we stay in a state of denial we are in serious trouble. pay attention to several comments below from Mom & Do Ur Research.

  3. Unfortunately we have seen an influx of persons from Harris county at our local stores because they have run out there. Our local stores are having a hard time keeping supply because other than locals are purchasing them and spreading the virus from the city .

    1. There is no way to tell where this came from other than the original point of contact back in November. Outside of that, we don’t know if someone brought it in from traveling, if a non-local brought it in, or some other means of transport happened.
      Finger pointing does absolutely NOTHING to help contribute to the narrative we have right now. All it does is create a fear and hostility to others where there isn’t a need.

  4. There is so much misinformation and cruel comments here on this story alone and it makes me feel so sad for everyone here. Instead of being rude and calling for everything being closed down because YOU have hoarded and “prepared” for this, why not offer support and compassion for our fellow community members who can’t just cease life and hoard food and stay home! And those who can’t stay home do need to be more aware of their impact on the health and well being of others while doing what they can to help. We should be coming together as a community rather than coming to media outlets and pointing fingers.

    People who get infected DO NOT ALWAYS KNOW TILL WELL AFTER THE FACT!

    Stop with the “Back in my day…” stories. It isn’t helping. It doesn’t constructively contribute to the narrative

    Don’t point the finger at a single generation. Blanket statements are prejudice at best and do nothing but cause more divides among people in the community.

    Use your best judgements. Treat others as you EXPECT to be treated. Educate yourself with FACTS from the CDC and Health care professionals. Follow guidelines set out for prevention and safety.

    And for the love of God have some compassion for one another.

  5. Thanks KWHI for keeping us informed as to the impact of the coronavirus in Washington County. I have gone to the official Texas Health and Human Services dashboard that is supposed to give information on the virus’s effect by county but I noted that for the past several days (including today) Washington County is supposedly coronavirus free. Makes me wonder about the rest of the data reporting by the state.

    1. The state leaders are failing as usual .they cant even count cases or have people be able to file unemployment. Sitting in their rich houses

  7. Americans are spoiled, they have no idea what sacrifice means, that generation is all but gone, if we can’t run to heb or wally world we will cry. Then if we get the virus we are going to blame some one else. We can’t stay inside for two weeks and let this blow over. We have lost this country without a shot being fired from our enemies. One virus took us down because we did not take it seriously. The people that did will get it from the others that had to go get that food from the drive thru.

  8. everybody just needs to use common sense and calm down we will get through this I remember when I was very young we had a polio scare where everyone had to be vacineated everyone had to go to the cityhall and recieved some form of anti-polio serium don’t remember anything being shut down are anyone getting polio hopefully this will run it’s course and we can get back to normal

  9. Mandatory quarantine shelters for those who test positive. If you don’t.. this increases spread!! Simple as that!!

  10. Shelter in place is no gud for most warehouse workers we are still required to be at work as long as we feel ok which means eventually we are all gonna get this virus

  11. Do the right thing! Texans are too smart to deny what’s coming. We have very little time to get ahead of the virus. All citizens are behind the folks who make the call to shelter in place. Tomorrow is too late!

  13. Just have faith and stop panicking. Go out and find the ones that took a Spring break trip them the ones that bringing into the country and passing it around to everyone. And also if you so scared while don’t you just stay home and stop worrying about the next person

  14. The county or city does not have to order a shelter in place for you to do so. Just stay home, be smart, wash your hands and face. Police yourself. If you have to wait for someone in authority to tell you to do these things, then you’re not doing it right.

  18. A 21 year old female died this week in England from COVID 19 with NO pre-existing medical conditions. This is why we all need to be quarantined!

  19. When is the county going to order shelter in place?? If there are 5 confirmed cases, there are likely hundreds.

    1. All comments are true, people of Washington County! I live out of town, thank goodness, but as a country girl, I know how to keep myself stocked up with supplies. Everyone should have been stocked up also, as SEVERE WEATHER/TORNADO SEASON will be here before we know it. STAY SAFE & GOD BLESS…..

  20. Please continue to pray for our city, county and the world. Stay safe. Stay home if possible and make wise choices.
    Protect yourself. Follow CDC guidelines b
    You are important and loved
    Scary time.

  22. I just read the comments concerning the third post: There are still some believing what they want to hear rather than the truth. True the number of deaths is still low. Yet we are only beginning with this virus. It will explode in the coming weeks. We have seen nothing yet! Once it explodes, there will be few hospital beds available, Today, the vast majority can get hospital care if needed. That will not be the case once COVID-19 explodes. The best hope is that some drug that is currently tested & available for other viruses will be helpful or easily twerked to create a drug that will. A tested vaccine is the long term answer but many months off. We do not need something rushed to market w.o testing.

    1. I feel the same, it appears people in our community are not practicing most if any of the recommendations from the CDC or city officials. Is the confirmation of these cases Not enough? Will we just wait and see, go about our days, and Wait for the 1st fatality before we actually take this “easily spread virus” serious? This is not going to go away any time soon, but we sure can slow it down. Be more aware of your surroundings, surfaces you come in contact with, and most importantly increase your hand washing. Go out less. Stay away from large crowds. The grocery stores Cannot and will not close, they are essential to our community. If nothing else for your loved ones, please be more vigilant ?

      1. You are correct. What I meant to say is limit how many shop at one time. And I’m not saying 10 at a time either. Thanks.

      3. With all the hoarding going on, some people should have enough food to last them for a couple of weeks! Shut the county down & let’s heal!

      4. I think all healthcare facilities and groceries and maybe 4 gas stations should be all allowed to stay open and only those employees allowed to travel. And I agree with limiting the amount of people in the grocery stores to like 10 when those come out or as they come out allow more in.

    2. No. People will need food and stuff. But they do need to limit people in store at a time. People need to realize this is real. Everybody around us has went to shelter and stay home. Why does Washington County continue to think this is not a big deal? No social distancing is being done. You go by the parks and 25-30 people playing basketball. It’s only going to get worse. People need to watch the news and the rest of the world and see what is happening. Some adhere to the guidelines set forth, but there are many that need to be told or made to adhere to what needs to be done. Just shut it down like everyone else , so we can get rid of this mess and then we can get back to normal. As long as we go on about our way, because we think it won’t get bad, we might be in this mess a lot longer. Shut it down like everyone around us has.

      1. I live at Belle Towers Senior living Community apartments and I work part time on a ranch in Fayette County Texas. I am 65 years old with a compromised immune system and the majority of the tenants here at Belle Towers Senior living Community are over the age of 70. I decided on Wednesday afternoon to tell my boss that I am putting myself on self quarantine because I felt that I was putting my fellow neighbors at risk and myself as well.

      2. I agree. How about only allowing A-M then N-Z last names to go to the grocery stores on certain days?? Its just a thought…. especially after driving by Must be Heaven and seeing practically a crowd. Smh! #juststayhome#cookmore#PB&J

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