It’s bad news.
Milam County recorded its first death from the COVID-19 Pandemic Monday morning as a county resident died in a Temple hospital.
County Judge Steve Young identified the victim only as a “woman under 50” who was hospitalized on Friday and tested positive for the deadly virus.
“We are saddened by the loss,” Young said. “This was a fairly young person and we don’t know anything about any underlying conditions.”
The Milam case count grew to 13 during the past week with one other person remaining in intensive care in a Temple hospital.
Three cases over the weekend were connected with the Cameron Dairy Queen, which was closed, by its owner, until April 29.
“The person who died Monday was not connect ed with the Cameron Dairy Queen situation,” Young said.
Also during the week, as expected, Gov. Greg Abbott closed all Texas public and private schools through the end of the 2019-20 school term.
That leaves the Rockdale ISD—and every other school district in the state—awaiting guidelines on how to proceed with commencement and other end-ofschool-year activities.
RESTAURANT—Three of the new cases reported since last Wednesday were connected with the Cameron Dairy Queen, according to Young.
This marks the first time the county and Milam Health Department have identified a specific area of the county in connection with positive tests.
Young has previously said the virus is “virtually in all areas of the county.”
“The Milam County Health Department immediately began an investigation into the matter and after obtaining additional information, it was determined the safest course to take was to quarantine all of the employees of the restaurant,” Young said.
The owner, Robert Mayfield was contacted and apprised of the situation and shortly thereafter he voluntarily agreed to close the restaurant until April 29.
“There is really no way to know how the virus got into the restaurant. It could have been spread by someone who drove through the drive in or the involved employee could have been infected elsewhere and brought it to work,” he said.
He said all of the 20-plus employees of the restaurant were quarantined.
“However, most importantly, once the problem was discovered, the restaurant closed for the safety of the employees and the public. This will help prevent the spread of the virus,” Young said.
“We thank Mr. Mayfield for his decision and his commitment to the safety of his employees and the public. The Cameron Dairy Queen has a reputation of being a clean, neat place of business with great food and service. This will continue beginning April 29,” he said.
Milam County Health Director Robert Kirkpatrick emphasized the COVID-19 virus is not spread in food.
THE COUNT—A s of presstime Wednesday morning the Milam Health Department said nine of the 13 cases have been closed. That includes recoveries and the one fatality.
Four cases are self isolated (quarantined) and monitoring has begun. That includes one out-of-county Milam resident who is self-isolating at their current location.
Thirty-three persons are currently being monitored.
Fifty-eight Milam residents have been monitored overall.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 order, three Milam residents have been hospitalized including the one still in a hospital.
C A M E RON P I Z Z A
HUT—Officials said it was discovered a family member of an infected Dairy Queen employee worked at Cameron Pizza Hut. Both were quarantined.
Both were quarantined. Young said no employee of the pizza restaurant displayed any symptoms and none were tested for the virus.
MASKS—As of Monday, all employees of all Walmart stores are required to wear face masks to help inhibit COVID-19 spread. The retail giant also
The retail giant also “encouraged” all its shoppers to wear masks.
That’s the current policy of Milam County—encouraging but not yet requiring residents to wear masks in public—but Judge Young has indicated he might make that mandatory.
“I’m dismayed by the number of people I see who are not wearing masks,” he said.
Among the establishments requesting that all persons coming into the business wear masks is The Rockdale Reporter.
SCHOOL—Gov. Greg Abbott, in a noontime address Friday, announced Texas schools would remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school term.
His remarks were part of a plan to gradually “re-open” the state from COVID-19 restrictions.
Abbott said details on how graduation ceremonies will be held are forthcoming.
Rockdale ISD continues its online classes, with hard-copy materials being available for those without internet access.
In anticipation of the governor’s order, RISD had already issued updated grading guidelines (Reporter, April 16) with a “hold harmless” clause in which spring semester averages will be determined by the fourth six-weeks grade (last full six weeks since schools were closed March 16) and the higher of the fifth six weeks or sixth six weeks grade.
RETAIL ‘DRIVE- THROUGH’—Gov. Abbott said as of Friday Texas retail businesses may re-open but only in a “drive through” or delivery mode.
Abbott plans to announce conditional plans leading toward some kind of re-opening for the Texas economy on Monday.
Business people: ‘Wear masks’
Milam County Judge Steve Young wants every employee who comes in contact with the public, in every business that’s still open, to wear a mask.
That comes in the form of a request. For now.
Young sent an open letter to all Milam business owners on Monday, the same day the county recorded its first COVID-19 death.
“If one has to have contact with others of the public it is imperative that a mask be worn over the nose and mouth to prevent the expulsion of the virus,” he said.
Young asked employers to enforce his request.
“The virus is spread by those with symptoms and those without symptoms,” he said. “One can feel normal and have no symptoms, but still spread the virus by simply breathing and speaking.”
Also Monday, all Walmart employees around the nation are required to begin wearing masks on the job.
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