First community spread COVID-19 case confirmed in Comal County; patient visited H-E-B, Walmart
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Comal County officials confirmed its first case of community spread of COVID-19 on Friday. The case brings the county’s total to nine, according to officials.
Comal County officials confirmed its first case of community spread of COVID-19 on Friday. The case brings the county’s total to nine, according to officials.
Photo: HANDOUT / National Institutes Of Health / AFP Via Getty Images
Comal County officials confirmed its first case of community spread of COVID-19 on Friday. The case brings the county’s total to nine, according to officials.
Comal County officials confirmed its first case of community spread of COVID-19 on Friday. The case brings the county’s total to nine, according to officials.
Photo: HANDOUT / National Institutes Of Health / AFP Via Getty Images
Comal County officials confirmed its first case of community spread of COVID-19 on Friday and the county urged residents and businesses to voluntarily stay at home and close certain businesses. The case brings the county’s total to nine, according to officials.
In a social media post from local officials, the patient is in their 80s and lives in the Bulverde area, where the person reported visiting two grocery stores before showing symptoms.
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The patient was at the Bulverde H-E-B sometime between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on March 10 and March 12, and then at the Walmart in Bulverde from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on March 16, officials said.
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The patient is hospitalized outside the county, officials said. It is unclear where the patient is being treated.
“Until this point, all of our positive cases had traveled to places experiencing an active COVID-19 outbreak before developing symptoms,” said Cheryl Fraser, the county’s director of public health. “This patient has tested positive without leaving Comal County, which means COVID-19 is spreading in our community.”
The county had its first COVID-19-related death on Thursday when a New Braunfels man died at a hospital in Austin.
Later Friday a Comal County judge issued stay home, work safely guidance that mirrors orders issued in San Antonio and Bexar County.
Residents with questions or concerns about the novel coronavirus can call the county’s dedicated COVID-19 hotline at 830-221-1120 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Priscilla Aguirre is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | [email protected] | @CillaAguirre
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