Five Montgomery County resident deaths related to COVID-19 were reported July 31 alongside a drop in the county's active case count, the county public health district and office of emergency management announced.

Two of the deaths, a Splendora woman in her 60s and a Conroe man in his 80s, occurred in a hospital, health officials said. Three other deaths, including a Porter man in his 50s and two New Caney men in their 60s and 70s, were not recorded in a hospital. Sixty-seven Montgomery County resident deaths related to the disease have now been recorded, including 13 this week. The county's active case count fell for the fourth straight day after decreasing by 53 July 31, and now sits at 2,411. Active cases fell more than 7% through this week after reaching 2,597 July 27. Sixty-six of the current active cases in the county are hospitalized, a decrease of three since yesterday.

A total of 119 new COVID-19 cases were reported July 31, offset by the five deaths and 167 new recoveries, as the county's seven-day new case average dropped below 90 for the first time since July 9. A total of 3,613 confirmed COVID-19 cases, or 58% of the county's cumulative count, have now recovered. The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized throughout Montgomery County, regardless of their residence, decreased by seven July 31 to 183. Of those, 132 are in general or isolation beds, and 51 are in an ICU, according to data from the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council.