El Paso virus deaths grow by 2, cases still surging; lack of Mother’s Day social distancing blamed
EL PASO, Texas — El Paso's Department of Public Health announced two new deaths Wednesday due to the coronavirus, as the county's death tally reached 54.
The latest victims were identified as two men, each in their 70s who had underlying health issues.
El Paso officials also reported another day of double-digit case increases, with 78 new virus infections to bring the county’s total number to 1,930.
City/County Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza indicated there was "a strong correlation between the Mother’s Day weekend and the spike in positive cases."
“It is disappointing that we are again reporting the loss of two more members of our community,” added Dr. Ocaranza. “These men are not just a number for us; they are someone’s friend, neighbor, a parent, a loved one. It is for this reason that we need everyone to help us slow the spread of this virus by continuing to do what I have been urging for weeks."
Ocaranza cited a lack of following social distancing guidelines and not everyone wearing face coverings as contributing factors to the virus' spread in El Paso.
Concerns over the surge in El Paso prompted neighboring New Mexico Gov. Michele Lujan Grisham to warn Wednesday about travel between El Paso and Dona Ana counties, saying it poses a threat of spreading the virus.
Below is the latest El Paso coronavirus case locator map and other demographic information on the virus outbreak as provided by the health department.
The map shows the amount of positive cases by zip codes, with the number of cases in red dots: 79821 (8), 79835 (57), 79836 (12), 79838 (20), 79849 (50), 79853 (27), 79901 (28), 79902 (40), 79903 (58), 79904 (58), 79905 (76), 79907 (110), 79911 (11), 79912 (135), 79915 (85), 79922 (11), 79924 (115), 79925 (79), 79927 (108), 79928 (145), 79930 (58), 79932 (70), 79934 (38), 79935 (40), 79936 (236), 79938 (255).
