13 more deaths from El Paso virus come as top doctor pleads to avoid Thanksgiving gatherings

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – The El Paso Department of Public Health reported 13 new coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday morning, as officials made a final appeal urging El Pasoans to stay home this Thanksgiving and not to meet with people outside your household.

“We want to remind the community once again to make sure our families are safe while on vacation,” said Dr Hector Ocaranza, El Paso County Health Authority. “(This) is usually a day to come together and celebrate with our immediate and extended families and friends, but we must remember that being in close contact and in closed places with other people who are not from the same household puts you and them at risk of contracting Covid -19. “

The last 13 deceased included:

• 1 man in his fifties
• 6 men in their sixties
• 2 women in their sixties
• 1 man in his 70s
• 2 men in the 80s
• 1 woman in her 90s

Their deaths brought the death toll to 918 in El Paso County.

Health officials also reported 406 new cases and 136 positive “delayed” results.

The number of active cases decreased slightly to 36,584. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 83,993 confirmed cases in El Paso, with 45,944 reported recoveries.

Hospitalizations have increased from 1,002 to 971. There are 312 patients in the intensive care unit, an increase of 11 from Wednesday.

For a full overview of El Paso’s Covid-19 data, click here.