Since the first positive COVID-19 test in Milam County back in March, the most asked question has been “where are they from?”
The Milam County Health Department has provided the first breakdown of those statistics and the answer is, not surprisingly, “from where the most people are.”
An updated pie chart released Tuesday by Robert Kirkpatrick, department director, showed Cameron’s zip code with 44-percent of the 72 COVID-19 cases diagnosed through Tuesday afternoon.
(Another was reported early Wednesday morning.)
Rockdale was second with 29 percent. So, the county’s two most heavily populated areas account for almost three-fourths of all the positive tests to date.
That’s about what you’d expect, statistically. What’s surprising, though, is another set of statistics released by Kirkpatrick, showing the age group with the most positive tests is ages 20-29 with 14.
Only seven positives over age 70. However, there are 10 in ages 60-69. That 60-and-over segment is deemed most susceptible to the potentially deadly virus.
ZIP CODES—The stats broke down the number of persons in Milam zip codes, not within city limits.
Zip code areas, of course, contain more population than the city limits.
According to 2010 census data, 8,562 persons reside within Rockdale’s 76567 zip code and 8,413 within Cameron’s 76520 designation.
That’s almost exactly 70 percent of Milam County’s population.
Next comes Thorndale with 3,045 in the 76577 zip code.
Much smaller “slices” of the pie chart designate zip codes for Buckholts, Milano and Gause.
PRIVACY—The charts—one released Thursday, then updated Tuesday, represents the first time Milam officials have released any location information concerning the virus, choosing instead to designate positive tests as “from the central part of the county” or “from the northern part of the county.
County Judge Steve Young, and the health department, cited privacy rules.
Young has emphasized several times that the virus “is everywhere” in the county.
Kirkpatrick noted the health department has overall received good cooperation from the public as it continues to monitor over 70 persons who came into contact with infected persons.
“One person was belligerent beyond belief,” Kirkpatrick said.
AGE BREAKDOWN—The revelation that age group 20-29 has the highest percentage of infection in the county—14 cases representing 19.4 percent of the total—follows a statewide trend.
Gov. Greg Abbott noted several large, urban counties have recently had a majority of persons testing positive in 30-and-under age groups.
SENIOR CITIZENS—Younger persons are believed to have a better chance of surviving the virus than senior citizens—deemed most vulnerable—and, on that front, the Milam statistics are somewhat encouraging.
The four oldest age groups, 60 and above, had logged 17 cases, 23.6 percent of the total.
Milam residents 70 and above represent just 9.7 percent of the total (seven cases). Those 59 and younger represent 76.4 percent of the total (55 cases).
Persons between 10 and 19 represent 13.9 percent of the total (10 cases).
A bright spot. There have been no cases reported of children nine and under testing positive for COVID-19 in Milam County.
Between Thursday and Tuesday 16 more cases were added and those skewed the numbers more toward the Cameron zip code and toward older Milam residents.
On Thursday, Cameron and Rockdale percentages were about equal and those 59 and younger were 82 percent of the cases.
PREVENTION—Young continued to emphasize wearing masks, social distancing and hand-washing.
“(Some) people just aren’t doing it,” he said. “I’m convinced we can stay safe.”
“I’m afraid once the state started opening up, some people were under the assumption that they didn’t have to follow prevention guidelines,” he said.
Breakdown by age groups
NUMBER OF MILAM POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES TO JUNE 23, BY AGE GROUP
• Ages 0-9, none, 0 percent.
• Ages 10-19, ten 13.9 percent.
• Ages 20-29, fourteen, 19.4 percent.
• Ages 30-39, eleven, 15.3 percent.
• Ages 40-49, twelve, 16.7 percent.
• Ages 50-59, eight, 11.1 percent.
• Ages 60-69, ten, 13.9 percent
• Ages 70-79, two, 2.8 percent
• Ages 80-89, four, 5.5 percent.
• Ages 90-99, one, 1.4 percent.
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