Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

An increase of COVID cases is being reported in Beaumont over a month’s period, but a significant jump is not being seen in Port Arthur.

Earlier this week officials with Beaumont Public Health took to social media to report a 189.8 percent increase in the number of COVID cases from June to July.

A 25 percent increase was seen statewide, according to the social media post.

Hospitalizations are on the rise in Texas with a 10 percent increase, according to Beaumont Pubic Health.

Judith Smith, director for the City of Port Arthur Health Department, said local officials have not seen the type of increases Beaumont is seeing.

Smith is not surprised at hearing of an increase with more people gathering together and the relatively small number of people who have the bivalent vaccine.

“We know the percentage of people who received it is low,” Smith said, adding the ones who sought the bivalent vaccine were generally 65 years or older.

The city’s epidemiologist keeps track of cases and hospitalizations, and Port Arthur only has one hospital, The Medical Center of Southeast Texas.

The latest numbers of cases shows from Aug. 1 to 4 there were 16 positive cases for Port Arthur and the three Mid County cities.

The number COVID cases increased slightly in Port Arthur

The city’s vaccination clinic is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily at the Texas Artists Museum, 3501 Cultural Center Drive across from the civic center. For more information about vaccinations, call 409-983-8800 or 409-983-8832.