The OPH received confirmation overnight March 23 and is investigating the patient's recent history to determine whom they had direct contact with. The OPH will notify those people with steps they need to take.
Comal County Commissioners Court voted unanimously in a special meeting March 24 to extend its disaster declaration indefinitely. The city of New Braunfels did the same a day earlier at a City Council meeting.
“We are closely monitoring this constantly evolving situation so we can continue to take the steps appropriate to Comal County’s needs,” County Judge Sherman Krause said. “We’re grateful for the many people who have followed the governor’s orders mandating social distancing, and we encourage everyone to continue following those orders to help keep our community as healthy as possible.”
As of 7 p.m. March 23, the county was aware of 78 coronavirus tests conducted on local residents, including 25 with pending results and the five that came back positive, according to the press release.
Of the four previously announced cases, two have been symptom-free for the past seven days and were declared recovered and released from isolation March 24. Like the rest of the county, they are still under social distancing orders.
During a state of disaster, the county has emergency powers and can "take any actions necessary to promote health and suppress disease, including quarantine, and examining and regulating hospitals, regulating ingress and egress throughout the County and impacted areas."
More information from the county is available on its coronavirus webpage. The OPH also has a dedicated hotline residents may call at 830-221-1120 on weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
