MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Baylor Scott & White Medical Center treats several patients for respiratory illnesses, but recently, they’ve seen a rise in Covid-19 cases.
- Covid-19 cases are on the rise among, children and adults
- According to a Baylor Scott & White Pediatrician, the increase of cases is sooner than expected — typically in years past, a rise in cases hits in September or October
- A new strand of Covid-19 has formed but it is no more severe than the other strands
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"All summer, we’ve been seeing respiratory viruses of various etiologies and rhinovirus, enterovirus," said Pediatrician with Baylor Scott & White, Cessley Marsellus.
Marsellus says they’ve seen a rise in Covid-19 cases — something unusual for this time of year.
"Usually it does hit a in September, October, but we’re already seeing it," she said.
"We have to kind to start taking those measure now to protect ourselves against whatever we can do."
Due to cases starting earlier, Marsellus says they’re expecting to see much more in the fall, but there’s no reason to panic.
"I’d say we’re in a much better position than we were during the pandemic, so we won’t have to worry about that," she said.
"We have a lot in our tool belt to be able to combat Covid as is arises."
25 News asked Waco ISD if they’ve seen a rise in Covid-19, and officials say they’ve seen a few cases within the district but they see more students with the stomach bug.
McLennan County Health Services says they don’t have any numbers since they stopped tracking Covid-19 cases in March of 2023 — but just because they aren’t tracking them, doesn’t mean a new strand can’t form.
"That’s why it’s important to get an updated vaccine, because those strands do change, and you don’t have that same immunity that you had before," Marsellus said.
She also says that a new strand isn’t more severe than the other strands, and says a new vaccine for this strand should be available around September or October.
