Over the weekend, Hidalgo County confirmed its first two cases of COVID -19 and signed an emergency order document which details a stay-at-home curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday afternoon.
The first case of COVID-19 in Hidalgo County was confirmed Saturday, with the second case confirmed on Sunday. The whereabouts of the first COVID-19 case is McAllen while the second case’s location is only known to health investigators, according to a press release by Hidalgo County.
Hidalgo County health officials have ordered both of the individuals with COVID-19 into home isolation.
Health officials have also begun the process of retracing the persons’ whereabouts over the past several weeks to determine who has been in contact with these individuals.
“We have followed through with the people that they have been in contact and we have done some testing to those individuals and issued control orders to them as directed by the [District Attorney’s] office to assure that they stay home and they follow through on their 14 day isolation,” Eduardo “Eddie” Olivarez, chief administrative officer for Hidalgo County Health and Human Services said during a virtual press conference today.
A total of 82 people have been tested in Hidalgo County with two positive, 30 negative and 50 tests still pending, according to the Hidalgo County website.
Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez signed an order instituting emergency measures due to a public health emergency related to COVID-19 Sunday, in which detailed a countywide stay-at-home curfew.
“So, basically, if you want to know whether you can or cannot do it, if it was necessary for you to do it, if it was life threatening for you to do it, do it,” Cortez said. “But if it’s not necessary for you to do it then don’t. It’s that simple.”
The document states that a person shall stay at home and not remain or travel upon any public or private property within the jurisdictional boundaries of Hidalgo County between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
It also states this stay-at-home curfew does not apply to people identified as part of critical infrastructure industry and services; people that are part of government workplaces; people traveling directly to and from essential businesses; retail stations; hospitals; medical offices; facilities; bus, train or airplane terminals; people authorized to travel by emergency management director; people serving a law enforcement role; first responders and emergency services personnel.
During today’s press conference, Hidalgo County Sheriff J.E. “Eddie” Guerra said that the stay-at-home curfew will be enforced by all peace officers in Hidalgo County.
“We met with pretty much all the heads of the police chiefs of all the police departments [of Hidalgo], the Regional Director of [Texas Department of Public Safety], to go over the stay-at-home [curfew],” Guerra said.
He said violation of the curfew could be punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and 180 days in county jail, but would like to start off by educating the public first.
Guerra said it will take some time for the public to realize the importance of staying at home, so he wants to start by educating and giving warnings to residents.
“We’ll start by educating [residents] and giving a warning and, hopefully, they’ll comply,” Guerra said.
The City of Edinburg is also following up with a stay-at-home curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Mayor Richard Molina amended the city’s disaster declaration today to include new measures such as the stay-at-home curfew to try to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“We know this is a lot to take in, but we must, and I’m going to repeat that, we must take every precaution,” Molina said. “That is how serious this … is. Your home is the safest place you can be.”
