26 COVID cases in 6 days

Twenty-six UTRGV individuals tested positive for COVID-19 between Aug. 27 and Sept. 2, university officials reported. 

Doug Arney, vice president for Administrative Support Services and chair of the Infectious Disease Committee at UTRGV, said among the 26 were 13 students, three faculty and 10 staff members. 

The UTRGV Confirmed Cases Dashboard has not reported COVID numbers above 20 since December of last year. 

Arney attributes the increase in cases to the return to campus, which began Aug. 23.

As of last Wednesday, 43,983 tests had been conducted by UT Health RGV testing sites, according to the Confirmed Cases Dashboard on the UTRGV COVID-19 website.

With Texas Southmost College’s recent switch to online learning during the surge, The Rider asked Arney if UTRGV plans to follow. 

“Some campuses are doing that, but our Infectious Disease Committee has made a recommendation that we don’t do that,” he said.

TSC posted an update Sept. 4 stating, “Out of an abundance of caution, Texas Southmost College will transition to remote instruction beginning Tuesday, September 7 and returning to campus Monday, September 27.”

Arney suggests students, faculty and staff continue to wear masks and practice social distancing to protect themselves against COVID-19.

He said the best line of defense against the virus is to get vaccinated. 

As of last Wednesday, UT Health RGV had reported 85,774 vaccine doses distributed. 

In other COVID-19 news, Hidalgo and Cameron counties are experiencing a surge in cases.

Hidalgo County reported an additional 309 confirmed cases last Wednesday on its website, raising the county’s total to 109,844.

As of last Wednesday, the county reportedeight additional deaths, raising its toll to 3,158.

Last Tuesday, Cameron County Public Health reported an additional 356 COVID-19 cases, raising its total to 50,296.

The county also reported 187 recovered, raising the total to 45,859, according to the news release.  

Cameron County also reported three additional COVID-19 related deaths, raising its toll to 1,796.