Officials discussed new COVID-19 related restrictions in Tamaulipas that could impact Cameron County travelers during a news conference earlier today.
Starting Monday, the governor of Tamaulipas, Francisco Javier García Cabeza de Vaca, will be implementing travel restrictions that will impact individuals from Texas going to Mexico and vice versa.
The governor set a schedule based on vehicle license plate numbers, whether they are from Mexico or the U.S., in order to minimize travel. The last number of the license plate determines when you cannot travel in Mexico, unless it is essential. If the license plate ends with a letter, the number before the last letter will be used.
Vehicles with license plate numbers ending in zero and one cannot travel on Mondays, those ending in two and three cannot travel on Tuesdays, those ending in four and five cannot travel on Wednesdays, those ending in six and seven cannot travel on Thursdays, and those ending in eight and nine cannot travel on Fridays. On weekends, there are no restrictions.
“The only people who will be able to circulate every day are the people who have essential occupations and under a writing made by the company for dependence,” Francisco Galvan, from the governor’s office of Tamaulipas, said in Spanish. “That includes medical services, maquiladoras [and] customs agents that have daily tasks.”
All individuals in Tamaulipas must have facial coverings in public and in vehicles.
During the news conference, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. also spoke about clarifications on the lifting of certain restrictions.
Religious services are allowed to conduct drive-in services for those that have not and cannot utilize video teleconference or livestream presentations, while conforming to social distancing and facial covering requirements.
Congregates or participants must remain in their vehicles and the occupancy number of the vehicle will be limited to no more than five members of a single household. One empty parking space between vehicles shall be provided.
“We’re asking that if you have been providing services via pre-recorded, online or social media presentation, you continue to do so,” Treviño said.
Golf and tennis are now considered essential activities by the governor of Texas, according to the county judge.
No more than one occupant is allowed per golf cart, social distancing and facial coverings are required, no touching public items such as flags or ball washers, pro shops will remain closed, payments shall be made online, fitness centers, and gyms and clubhouses will remain closed.
Additional personal activities now considered essential include hunting and swimming in state waters.
The county is opening county parks and boat ramps while operating in a limited capacity.
Fishing is allowed from watercrafts with a maximum of two occupants unless members of the same household, in which case the maximum will be four occupants with facial coverings or masks.
The guidelines for charter fishing include following social distancing at all times. If a boat is 18 feet or smaller, only the guide and one client are allowed. If it is 22 to 26 feet it will be the guide plus two clients. Facial coverings or masks must be worn at all times while on board.
Vehicle occupancy restrictions will be eased. If there is more than one person in a vehicle, all individuals must use facial coverings or masks. All travel must still be essential.
Treviño provided the latest numbers regarding COVID-19 in Cameron County.
Two additional COVID-19 related deaths were confirmed by Cameron County Public Health Thursday. The cases involved an 81-year-old female and a 92-year-old male who resided in the Veranda Nursing Home in Harlingen.
The two deaths increased the total number to 14 in the county.
As of earlier today, there are 344 positive COVID-19 cases, 318 negative and 153 recovered.
There are 365 individuals under self-quarantine, 190 have completed the two-week isolation period and 175 are still being monitored.
At the Veranda Nursing Home, 27 employees and 56 residents have tested positive for the virus. Fifty-two employees and 41 residents have tested negative.
Windsor Atrium, a nursing home in Harlingen, has 30 employees and 24 residents who have tested positive for the virus. Eight employees and 3 residents have tested negative.
Clusters of positive COVID-19 cases consist of the two nursing homes, which make up 137 of the total cases in the county; individuals and their immediate family contacts, which make up 78 of the total cases; non-immediate family contacts, which make up 40 of the total cases; and 89 individual cases.
The breakdown of positive cases by municipality is as follows:
–Brownsville with 108 cases and 73 recovered;
–Harlingen with 147 cases and 33 recovered;
–La Feria with seven cases and four recovered;
–Laguna Vista with one case;
–Los Fresnos with 19 cases and 15 recovered;
–Rancho Viejo with four cases and four recovered;
–Port Isabel with three cases;
–Rio Hondo with 14 cases and four recovered;
–San Benito with 32 cases and 16 recovered; and,
–Santa Rosa with nine cases and four recovered.
