Montgomery County sees more than 21% increase in active COVID-19 cases Oct. 20-26

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County rose by more than 400 from Oct. 20-26, a 21.44% increase, with the 2,362 active cases reported Oct. 26 marking the highest countywide total recorded in nearly three months.

The Oct. 26 active case count is the tenth-highest recorded in the county this year, and the highest outside of a two-week peak in late July, when between 2,400 and 2,600 cases were active in the county daily.

According to information from the Montgomery County Public Health District, newly identified COVID-19 cases climbed this week by 5.43%. The county's cumulative case count surpassed 13,000 on Oct. 20 and stands at 13,796 as oc Oct. 26. All new cases added Oct. 20-26 were individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 in October.

Seven deaths related to COVID-19 were also confirmed over the seven-day span, including four Oct. 26. The deaths—a Porter man in his 60s; two Conroe and Magnolia men in their 70s; three Conroe and Magnolia women in their 40s; and a Spring woman in her 80s—brought the total number of fatalities in the county related to COVID-19 to 151.

Recoveries from the disease rose by 287 from Oct. 20-26, a 3.39% increase, and more than 63% of all confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county have now recovered. As of Oct. 26, 2,540 cases—more than 18% of the county's cumulative total—were designated as "inactive," meaning that the county was unable to contact them within 30 days of when they were first reported to the health district.

COVID-19 hospitalizations of county residents confirmed via contact investigations held between 32 and 37 throughout the week, according to the public health district. Total COVID-19 hospitalizations in county facilities, regardless of patients' residence, increased from 54 as of Oct. 20 to 62 as of Oct. 26, while ICU bed use by COVID-19 patients increased from 14 to 17 over the same time frame, according to information provided to the health district by the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council.