EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — COVID-19 continues to rage on both sides of the border in the El Paso-Juarez region.
El Paso on Wednesday reported eight new COVID-19 deaths and 68 new cases. The city and county of El Paso have now recorded 2,461 total cases and 68 total deaths, according to the city’s data page. The page does not have any details on the eight fatal cases.
The latest update shows 1,385 people have recovered, leaving 1,008 cases still active. Of those cases, 110 are in the hospital, 65 are in the ICU and 25 are on ventilators.
Across the border, Juarez reported nine new fatalities and a one-day record 72 new cases. Mexico’s second-largest border city has recorded 1,014 cases and 238 deaths since the pandemic began. However, Chihuahua state officials admit there are probably thousands of unreported cases due to asymptomatic patients and insufficient testing.
One of the fatalities in Juarez was a 5-year-old boy, said Dr. Arturo Valenzuela, head of the Chihuahua State Health Department in Juarez. In addition to the coronavirus, the boy had sickle-cell anemia, Valenzuela said.
The State of Chihuahua, which borders both Texas and New Mexico, also experienced a one-day record for confirmed cases, with 100.
