1st Coronavirus Death Reported in Laredo

LAREDO, Texas—The City of Laredo and Webb County have confirmed the first death in Laredo related to COVID-19.

A 70-year-old woman who had previously tested positive for COVID-19 and who had an underlying health condition was being treated in intensive care at Laredo Medical Center when she succumbed to the disease on Sunday, March 29, 2020.

“I and the entire Laredo community offer our most sincere condolences and our support to the family during this difficult time,” said Mayor Pete Saenz. “In one way or another, everyone is affected by this virus and so we must continue to take this seriously. I stress the importance of staying in your home and following the health guidelines set forth by our local health department and the CDC. Even if you’re symptom-free, you may still harbor the virus and pass it on to someone who is more at risk of developing complications. For the safety of everyone in our community, please stay home and limit your exposure until we are all able to beat this pandemic. We are all in this fight together and we will get through this.” “Death, under any circumstance, is a difficult thing to face,” said Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina. “This is a tragedy that our whole community will be emotionally affected by. I want the family to know that I grieve alongside them, that our community grieves with them. I am praying that they know they are loved by us all. We are one community and one collective grieving heart.” “The entire City of Laredo Health Department also sends their condolences and offers support and counseling for family members during this time,” said Health Department Director Hector Gonzalez, MD, MPH. “We thank the doctors, nurses and entire staff at LMC for their service and commitment to the health and safety of our residents.”

The City of Laredo Health Department is reminding the public that it is conducting contact investigation on persons who have tested positive to determine possible exposure to others. If the health department has not contacted you there is no need to take any action at this time.

However, if someone is sick they need to stay home. In households with a positive person, there should only be one dedicated caregiver. Other family members must stay apart and practice good hygiene and social distancing. The positive person should be in a dedicated room and must wear a mask and not gather with other family members. The caregiver should also wear a mask when providing care. This is extremely important as evidence points to strong clustering among positive persons. Stay home if you are sick and call your doctor. Do not go to the office, call your doctor first. If it is an emergency, call 9-1-1.

As of 9:30 p.m. on March 29, a total of 228 persons have been tested, 89 of those tests have resulted negative, 32 have resulted positive, 107 are pending, 3 have recovered, 11 remain in the hospital, and 1 has passed.