WACO, Texas — A new warning for Central Texans, although it may feel like COVID-19 is over, Waco health officials and city leaders said it is still very much on the rise in our area.
There were three new cases of COVID-19 reported on Wednesday in McLennan County. This brought the total number of cases to 141.
"COVID-19 has not left McLennan County, the state of Texas, the United States or planet Earth,” Waco Mayor Kyle Deaver said.
Deaver said there's been an uptick in COVID-19 the last few days. Data from the health district shows that during every phase of reopening there has been an increase in positive cases.
Deaver said as businesses reopen people should continue to wear masks. He said we may be relaxing our personal efforts too much.
Jennifer Wilson is the owner of Spice Village in Waco. She said some people wear a mask when they shop at her boutique, but not everyone.
"We see about half and half. It is not required, but obviously there are a lot of people who are still wearing them. There is a lot of encouragement to continue to wear them and we support that," Wilson said.
The mayor said the rise in positive cases is not surprising, but it does make him worry because there are events that will happen around Waco that cause people to merge.
"I would encourage keeping a face covering,” Dr. Jackson Griggs said. "Not just mouth, but nose and mouth and at least around your neck so that at even given point that the crowd dynamic shifts you can quickly slip that on."
Health officials said they have not seen anything so far to indicate protesters have tested positive for COVID-19. They said it may take a while for people to produce possible symptoms.
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