Montgomery County recorded 8,608 new cases of COVID-19 in its weekly update on Jan. 18, a decrease from 9,548 cases recorded on Jan. 11, according to the county hospital district.
The Department of State Health Services recorded 19,255 confirmed cases in the county to date in 2022, per the department’s dashboard.
Since Dec. 14 when 790 new cases were recorded, Montgomery County saw its weekly totals of new cases increase sharply, peaking at 9,548 in early January. The most recent update is the first recorded decrease in new COVID-19 cases since early December.
Jason Millsaps, the county’s director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said at a Jan. 11 commissioners court meeting that Montgomery County’s omicron spike was expected to level off toward the end of January.
Commissioners are expected to review a presentation for county American Rescue Plan Act funding for protective equipment and testing in the county at an upcoming commissioners court session. Millsaps told commissioners that getting either rapid antigen or PCR tests was difficult for his staff.
“That’s our biggest challenge, getting antigen tests,” Millsaps said.
Hospitalizations decreasing
The SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council reported 267 patients in Montgomery County hospital beds as of Jan. 18, a decrease from the previous week’s 298. There are 227 patients in general care, while 40 are in intensive care, per SETRAC data.
COVID-19 patients in Montgomery County make up 25.4% of total hospital patients, a drop from 28.17% reported Jan. 11.
County hospitals saw 97 new patients admitted on Jan. 13, the highest amount in the past seven days, per SETRAC data. Since then, new patient totals have decreased, with 29 new patients admitted on Jan. 17.
According to Montgomery County’s vaccination data, 325,936 or 58.06% of residents over the age of 5 have received at least two doses. The county is targeting a 70% vaccination rate, which is equivalent to just under 400,000 people.
