Nueces County health officials warn of rapid Omicron surge, expand testing and urge 5-day isolation

County health officials told the Nueces County Commissioners Court on Wednesday that the Omicron variant is driving a sudden, substantial rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the region, and urged residents to use newly expanded testing and vaccination resources.

The county'run testing program has expanded hours and sites, public health director Luis Buenaventes said, and the county is operating a drive-through testing schedule Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at several locations including a weekend site at the Richard Borchard Fairgrounds in Robstown. "If you have tested positive, we are now asking you to quarantine for 5 days," Buenaventes said, repeating current CDC guidance the health district is implementing.

Why it matters: County officials said the local positivity rate climbed quickly to the 30s and 40s in recent days, constraining hospital capacity and prompting a request to the Texas Department of Emergency Management for additional providers. The briefing outlined steps the county has taken to reduce hospital pressure, including expanded testing capacity, mobile sites, and a county-staffed COVID clinic.

What officials said: Buenaventes presented monthly and weekly case counts showing a sharp increase in early January, rising from weekly counts in the 300s in November to more than 1,300 in the last week of December and initial January daily counts that matched or exceeded that pace. He said hospitalizations had risen from lows near 20'25 to roughly 78, and that child hospital admissions have increased as Omicron spread. "This represents a 10% increase in COVID positivity in a very short time," he said.

Treatment and testing notes: County staff said monoclonal antibody Regeneron is no longer effective against Omicron; sotrovimab is active but in limited national supply and not widely available until mid'late January, and an oral antiviral pill from Merck is now available by prescription at retail pharmacies. County officials asked residents to contact primary care providers about antiviral prescriptions when clinically appropriate.

Operations and logistics: Emergency management coordinator Louis Ray, who made his first court appearance, said the county has inventory for thousands of tests and is working with hospital labs to deliver PCR results within 24'48 hours. He also noted partnerships with CHRISTUS Spohn, Robstown Fire/EMS and the Corpus Christi Regional Transit Authority to support site access and staffing.

Next steps: County leaders said they would continue to expand testing and vaccination access where feasible, update the public regularly and coordinate messaging. A county press conference and additional operational briefings were scheduled to follow the court session.