Deep East Texas doctors note summer rise in COVID-19, flu cases

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - In East Texas, COVID-19 and flu cases are on the rise this summer. Dr. Charles Thompson is the Chief Medical Officer at Nacogdoches Medical Center. Thompson said COVID-19 cases are rising while flu cases have remained steady in Deep East Texas. “It’s interesting, most of the cases are mild. Most of the people are tested positive in our emergency room go home. We do have some people who are admitted into the hospital, but they’re really admitted into the hospital with COVID, not from COVID,” said Thompson. Thompson believed the rise in cases is due to ongoing COVID-19 transmission and summer gatherings. “May, June, and July, we’ve seen about 300 or even a little more than 300 cases a month, so we’re averaging about 10 cases a day,” said Thompson. Suzanna Fuller is a Nurse Practitioner at the ITASCA Healing Medical Practice in Nacogdoches. She said out of 90 patients a week she sees, about 10 patients had a stomach virus, COVID or the flu. “With COVID, it causes mass inflammation and so it can trigger their heart conditions, their respiratory conditions to worsen,” said Fuller. Fuller said elderly and immuno-compromised people are most affected. “I think we’re seeing a lot more GI issues reported. Some people aren’t really having the cough and the sinus pain and pressure. We’ve just seen a lot of people with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and they’re tested positive,” said Fuller. Eating a healthier diet, taking the vitamin c, and the zinc to build our immune system is the key,” said Fuller.