The state-run mobile coronavirus testing site tested a total of 86 people on May 9 when Waller County hosted the site, according to a May 12 Facebook post from County Judge Trey Duhon.
He added the county is working to secure the testing site for a third time, and it plans to host the site at a location in the southern part of the county.
"We were originally told possibly May 19th, but that has been cancelled because right now the mobile units are being dispatched throughout the state to test all residents and employees at nursing homes," Duhon said of these efforts.
The Waller County Commissioners Court approved submitting paperwork to secure federal funding from the state under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to help the county purchase personal protection equipment and cover testing costs, Duhon said in a May 13 Facebook post.
According to county data available at 11:45 a.m. May 18, Waller County has a total of 39 confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus. Thirty-two cases have recovered, and there have been no deaths related to the coronavirus, so the active case count is seven.
Update 9:56 a.m. May 7
The state-run mobile coronavirus testing site will return to Waller County on May 9, according to Waller County Judge Trey Duhon’s May 7 Facebook post.
The site will only accept patients who are screened, approved and provided a time slot for a drive-thru test, he said. Residents who show up without going through these steps will not be tested.
There is a total of 120 tests, he said. Registration to sign up for a test began 9 a.m. May 7. Individuals can register by going online to www.txcovidtest.org or calling 512-883-2400.
“Registration is fairly wide open to symptomatic, asymptomatic, high-risk, and close-contact individuals,” he said.
The drive-thru testing site will be open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. May 9 at the Waller County Community Center, 21274 FM 1098, Prairie View.
Waller County previously hosted the mobile coronavirus testing site April 26. Out of the 120 tests available, 106 tests were administered.
It is important to administer as many tests as possible so that the mobile site will return to the county sooner, Duhon said in an April 26 Facebook post. In the May 7 post, Duhon urged residents to sign up so that all 120 tests are conducted this second time.
“[One hundred twenty] test kits are available,” he said. “Last time we gave out 106 tests. Let's try to use all of the 120 test kits this time.”
As of 8:15 a.m. May 7, Waller County is reporting a total of 36 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to its county website. Twenty-three of the cases have recovered.
Waller County has a population of 49,987, according to 2018 census data from the Census Reporter. This means approximately 0.72 people out of 1,000 have tested positive for COVID-19 in the county.