The Texas Department of State Health Services raised Kerr County's COVID-19 death toll by at least two people on Wednesday, but the numbers continue to be confusing.
DSHS said Kerr County residents died from the virus on Oct. 5 and Oct. 14. The DSHS toll is 129. Things become confusing because Peterson Regional Medical Center reported a death on the 14th, and it's unclear if this tally confirms that death or is another one on the same day. Since the beginning of February, almost no DSHS reports have corroborated those of Peterson Regional Medical Center.
It is also not uncommon to have days with multiple deaths, especially considering the caseloads in intensive care units across the state. On Wednesday, Peterson reported just seven hospitalized with COVID-19, but five of those were in ICU.
Since Aug. 1, there have been nine days with two deaths or more.
If DSHS does not corroborate Peterson's numbers — and it already does not include nursing home deaths — Kerr County death toll since Aug. 1. is 45.
The good news is that positivity and hospitalizations continue to fall in Kerr County and across the state. There was just one new case reported in Kerr County on Wednesday.
Here are the deaths by day in October:
- Oct. 1, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Oct. 5, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Oct. 10, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Oct. 14, as reported by Peterson Regional Medical Center.
- Oct. 14, as reported by Texas Department of State Health Services.
