SAN ANTONIO – When tracking confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bexar County, two ZIP codes have emerged from the pack as having the most: 78207 and 78222.
Health officials this week were quick to point those ZIP codes are at the top of the list, in large, part because of single locations within their boundaries.
ZIP code 78207 is home to the Bexar County Jail, which has seen a surge in positive cases among inmates the past week and a half.
As of Friday, 157 inmates had tested positive for the deadly virus.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said he expects the number of cases within the facility to “skyrocket” now that widespread testing is underway for both inmates and detention employees.
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Inmates who have tested positive are counted among the total for the 78207 ZIP code because that is where they were being housed when the test was taken.
ZIP code 78222, which straddles Loop 410 on the Southeast Side, is at the top of the list because it is home to Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, health officials said.
As of Thursday, 74 residents of the longterm care facility, located in the 4300 block of E. Southcross, had tested positive for the virus.
Eighteen of those patients have died, officials confirmed, accounting for nearly 40% of all deaths in Bexar County due to COVID-19.
“I’ve been keeping the kids inside. If there’s stuff needing to be done, I’m the one that goes out and does it,” said Dominique Jean-Baptiste, who lives down the street from Southeast Nursing.
While Jean-Baptiste said he was aware of the outbreak at the nursing home, he said he was not aware that the ZIP code he lives in is at the top of the list.
“Go to the pool, go to the park, the park’s closed. It’s bad. Very bad,” said Jean-Baptiste.