Coronavirus cases skyrocketing in Midland and Odessa last three weeks

WEST TEXAS (KOSA) - Positive cases of COVID-19 continue to spike in both Ector and Midland Counties.

Midland County reported 95 new cases today. Ector County reported 34.

Since June 1, cases in Ector Co. are up 52%, according to the county health department. It’s even worse in Midland County, where cases are up 68%, according to the health department there.

While that’s only 0.1% of the population of either county based on the latest census numbers, the significant increases worry local politicians and medical leaders.

On a joint Medical Center Hospital / Odessa Regional Medical Center Zoom conference call today, the consensus was concern, but only one doctor was adamant about mandating people across the city wear masks.

“Do it. Do it,” repeated ORMC’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rohith Saravanan while Odessa Mayor David Turner discussed mask mandates.

Turner said he would need to talk with Midland Mayor Patrick Payton and the city council before he made any decision about mandating masks.

Payton told CBS7 last week that he would only wear a mask if he was around strangers, but thought he didn’t need one around friends he trusted.

When asked if there was a magic number that would need to happen to issue a mandate, the mayor said it would come down to how many people were admitted into the two hospitals’ ICUs, although he didn’t have a specific number.

Ector County Commissioner Eddy Shelton said there had been no discussion at the county level about mandating masks.

You can find the latest COVID-19 numbers here.