Coronavirus (COVID-19) Public Information

This page was created by the Matagorda County Hospital District (MCHD) to serve as a central hub for all known public information disclosures and relevant updates regarding COVID-19 in our community. This page is updated once per day Monday through Friday and any time the public release of new information is deemed necessary by MCHD officials to prevent harm or promote the health of those who live, work, or play in Matagorda County.

Table 1: COVID-19 Synopsis

This table lists all known lab-verified COVID-19 case information in Matagorda County as reported by the Matagorda County Hospital District, MEHOP, the Palacios Community Medical Center, and local independent physician organizations. Information in the “recovered” category is provided once per week by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), which serves as the health department for Matagorda County.

Cases Reported Recovered Deceased Active Cases
63 (26) (3) 34

Media and Community Inquiries

MCHD officials will not respond to inquiries regarding patient-specific or case-specific information. Media inquiries and general community inquiries not related to one’s personal health should be sent to Aaron Fox, MCHD’s Chief Business Development Officer and Public Information Officer at afox@matagordaregional.org or (979) 241-6167.

If you are seeking care for COVID-19

Anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell) and who is not experiencing a medical emergency, should:

1. Call their healthcare provider before seeking care. Calling ahead allows your healthcare provider to screen you for symptoms quickly and safely over the phone. If your healthcare provider of choice is Matagorda Regional Medical Center, you can call the main line at (979) 245-6383 or contact the Emergency Room directly at (979) 241-3315. All persons experiencing a medical emergency should call 911 immediately and alert the operator about their suspected COVID-19 symptoms.

2. If your healthcare provider of choice is Matagorda Regional Medical Center, and the outcomes of the phone screen suggests your symptoms are of concern, you will be directed to the MRMC Emergency Room for an in-person assessment. A health professional will meet you outside and provide you with personal protective equipment (face mask, etc.) and then escort you into the building in a manner which ensures a safe transition for you, other patients, and our healthcare professionals.

3. Your medical provider may choose to order a respiratory panel or other lab tests to determine if other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu, are present.

4. Your medical provider will determine if you should be tested for COVID-19, and will use State-recommended criteria for making that determination. If you do not meet criteria, but can safely manage your symptoms at home, you will be given appropriate medical treatment and further instructions.

5. If your provider determines that you do need to be tested and can safely manage your symptoms at home, you will be tested for COVID-19 and sent home to self-quarantine. You will typically receive your result in 2 to 4 days depending on the priority assigned to your test by the lab. High risk patients, patients admitted to the hospital, and health workers who have been exposed are given the highest priority.

6. If your test result is negative, meaning you do not have COVID-19, you will be notified and provided with more health-related advice.

7. If your test result is positive, meaning you do have COVID-19, a State epidemiologist will contact you and begin an investigation to address multiple points of concern. This includes reaching out to your family, friends, and coworkers, along with other members of the community if appropriate.

April 25, 2020: The typical wait time for COVID-19 test results listed on this page was shortened to “2 to 4 days.”

—

April 23, 2020: The format of Tables 1 and 2 at the top of this page will change on Monday, April 27th, in order to simplify and clarify reporting in the wake of Matagorda County’s mobile test collection initiative. Beginning April 27th, all 1) total cases, 2) recovered cases, 3) deceased, and 4) active cases will be reported cumulatively by category. If you need the information in the above tables as-is, you should copy it and save it to a personal file before 5:00am on April 27th.

—

April 22, 2020: Matagorda County will be hosting a free coronavirus (COVID-19) mobile test collection site for anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Appointments are required, and protocol must be followed in order for community members to be screened, tested, and receive their coronavirus (COVID-19) test results. UPDATE: During this testing event, 67 people were tested and 0 were turned away. We expect initial drive-up test results to be available as early as Tuesday, April 28th, with all results being reported by Friday, May 1st. These numbers will be combined and included in daily totals just like all test site information in Matagorda County is combined and reported.

—

April 7, 2020 at 2:11pm: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) serves as the health department for Matagorda County. We are working with DSHS for an initial COVID-19 recovery report, and we hope to be able to deliver that report soon. The moment we have verified recovery information, we will post it on the COVID-19 Public Information Page at https://www.matagordaregional.org/covid19

—

April 5, 2020. A COVID-19 community update video was posted. Click here to view the transcript and link to the video update.

—

March 30, 2020 at 9:34am. Due to a growing case load, multiple testing sites, and the complexities of pending epidemiological investigations, negative and pending COVID-19 test information will no longer be reported daily on this website. All positive case information is listed in the table above. Periodic updates on negative and pending test counts will be provided through hospital and county official public releases when available.

—

March 30, 2020 at 8:27am. Due to a growing case load and the complexities of pending epidemiological investigations, the COVID-19 data presented on this page will be updated by 1:00pm daily.

—

On March 28, 2020 at 7:19pm, the following COVID-19 positive patient demographic was removed from the table above after the information was reported in both Matagorda and Wharton counties. After further investigation, it was determined that the following COVID-19 case should be counted and managed by Wharton County: 3/27/2020; F; 50-55; HOM; NO.

—

As of March 27, 2020, MCHD no longer issues press releases regarding individual positive COVID-19 cases. All known COVID-19 case information is listed in the table at the top of this page.

—

Effective March 27th at 7:00am, MRMC’s visitation policy will change again. No visitors will be allowed outside of labor coaches, pediatric caregivers, and those dealing with end-of-life situations. In those cases, only one visitor will be allowed for the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff. Visitors must be 18+ and will be screened at the door for symptoms related to COVID-19.

—

This is a courtesy notice to all Matagorda County residents. As of March 10, 2020, at 11:00am, we are expecting the results of over 40 COVID-19 tests to be returned to our health professionals throughout the County over the next several days. As more residents meet State criteria for testing, the results are taking longer to be verified. At this time, some results are taking up to 12 days to be verified and reported. It is important to note that a delay in test results does not change the outcome. All patients meeting State requirements for testing are directed to self-quarantine at home immediately regardless of when the test result is expected.

We would like to take this opportunity to inform our citizens that the high number of pending test results may soon give the appearance of an unexpected “spike,” or an unexplainable increase in positive cases. This is not true. When we have a large number of tests pending results, we fully expect and are prepared to deal with a large number of both positive and negative test results.

—

Effective immediately, MRMC’s Weekend Urgent Care will temporarily close in order to increase Emergency Room capabilities.

—

Eight temporary changes for Matagorda Regional Medical Center

—

Matagorda County Hospital District Statement on the term “Presumptive” in the statement “Presumptive Positive Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case.”