By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
As the COVID-19 virus surge continues across the country, Montague County is not immune to its ravages as the county health authority reports four patients in the local hospital and one passed away Sunday night.
In Texas the year 2021 ended with 10,892 new cases confirmed in Texas and 90 new fatalities according to the Department of Health Service COVID dashboard. In Montague County there were 84 active cases, 476 probable cases and 99 fatalities.
Dr. Chance Dingler, Montague County health authority, said Friday there has been a big increase in sick people and positive tests the last few days. He feels this will only increase in the next week due to the number of positive tests they are getting back.
The doctor said he also gets questions daily about the need for a booster vaccine, but also on the need to get vaccinated. He emphasized the statistics are clear the vaccine prevents serious sickness and everyone should get vaccinated.
Montague County continues to have the lowest vaccination rate in the North Texas region at 36.12% being fully vaccinated age five and up and 2,067 have received the booster dose.

“I don’t understand that at all. People act like this is some big political conspiracy yet all living Presidents – Republicans and Democrats – have been vaccinated, Trump included. He also received his booster because he knows this isn’t political. Covid doesn’t care what political affiliation you are, what religion you are, what ethnicity you are, or what your socioeconomic status is. It just attacks people and gets them sick and then tries to kill them. Period,” exclaimed Dingler.

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.