El Paso mayor, county judge urge vaccinations to counter ‘very concerning’ rise in Covid cases, hospitalizations
EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser and County Judge Ricardo Samaniego held a noon-hour Friday briefing at City Hall to discuss a "a very concerning" rise in Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations across the community.
The mayor cited a disturbing trend of nearly 800 new confirmed infections over the past two days across El Paso County. He said the current daily average of 300 cases was more than double what it was just a month ago at 141.
At the news conference, Leeser also spoke of a roughly 30% increase in Covid hospitalizations over the past month. On Friday, he said there were 181 El Pasoans in the hospital due to the virus - with 74 listed in intensive care.
While there are still some breakthrough cases, involving those who are fully vaccinated, the mayor emphasized that most infections and severe Covid illnesses involved those who are un-vaccinated.
Earlier Friday, City-County Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza urged vaccinations, explaining that two out of every three infections involved those who are not vaccinated, and 9 out of 10 El Paso hospitalizations for Covid were individuals who had not undergone vaccination.
In addition to vaccinations, officials urged mask-wearing and social distancing as the holiday season approaches and shopping trips and family gatherings are upon us.
"The vaccination works, it keeps people out of the hospital," Samaniego told reporters. He warned that the community would also be doomed to repeat history - reflecting back on a major El Paso Covid surge that garnered national headlines a year ago - if El Pasoans fail to wear masks and practice social distancing in public places.
