He said on February 8, the UK variant was found at 21 of the city’s 39 wastewater treatment plants. Fourteen days later, on February 22, he said the variant was found in 31 of the 39 treatment plants.
“19% of all viruses tested in the city’s wastewater have the genome consistent with the UK variant,” said Persse. “This does not mean that 19% of people in Houston are infected with the UK variant … it does not mean that. We know that there is a lot of the UK variant in our community and it is spreading.”
Our doctors and those in the medical field are concerned with a quarter #COVID-19 I nod.
With vacancies opening to 100%, we are concerned. Continue to keep the mask on while you are around other people and continue to take the necessary precautions to fight this virus.
– Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) March 8, 2021
AND THE OTHER VARIANTS?
On Monday afternoon, Persse said the sewer was being tested for other variants of COVID-19, such as the Brazilian and South African variants.
However, the measurements were not completed, so new data was not available to report, Persse said.
“We are concerned about people letting their guard down and not wearing their masks and meeting in ways they wouldn’t,” he said. “Remember that the UK variant is the one that spreads much more easily. These viruses are in the community, so the race is on to vaccinate as many people as possible before the UK variant can take over. and make sure we have another outbreak “
NEW NUMBERS
On Monday afternoon, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the citywide positivity rate now stands at 13.1%, which has increased since last week.
The city’s health department said this was the second consecutive week that the positivity rate had slightly increased.
In addition, the city reported 318 new cases of coronavirus, totaling 175,150 cases. The death toll now stands at 2,018.
“We continue to make progress [and] vaccinate people, but we are nowhere near achieving collective immunity, “said Turner.
“LOOK OF HOPE”
Texas is two days away from being “100%” open, but Turner offered what he described as “a glimpse of hope”.
During his briefing on Monday, Turner said the owner of Concrete Cowboy, a popular Houston bar on Washington Avenue, wrote Turner an email to warn him that a party planned to “take off the mask” has been canceled. .
I thank the owners of @ConcreteCowboyH for putting the safety of your employees and guests as a priority.
Today, they wrote to me stating that they would cancel the mask removal party that was scheduled for this Wednesday and continue to take measures that are safe. #COVID-19
– Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) March 8, 2021
“It was never our intention to organize a party where we encourage customers not to wear masks,” said the email, which was read aloud by Turner during his briefing. “I am a businessman from several locations in the Washington corridor and public safety is our primary concern.”
READ MORE: Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner wants the planned “maskless parties” in bars to be canceled
The lifting of the Texas mask mandate and the various “mask removal parties” have raised concerns about other similar events in other states arriving in Texas. Turner said prosecutors in states that are not allowed to operate 100% and are forced to wear masks, are promoting taking these events to cities like Houston, Dallas and Austin.
Turner said Concrete Cowboy will not be open on Wednesday night.
“This is not the time to drop our masks or let our guard down in the fight against the pandemic,” said Turner.
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