Starr County announced on Thursday that three people have tested positive for the coronavirus.

During a news conference at the Starr County Courthouse on Thursday morning, Dr. Jose Vazquez and County Judge Eloy Vera summarized the results of drive-thru testing in Starr County.

Two of 29 people tested at the drive-thru testing facility were positive for the new coronavirus known as COVID-19, Vazquez said. Another person tested at a local healthcare provider also came back positive for the virus.

Private labs are conducting the testing done at the local healthcare provider's office and at the drive-thru testing facility. The process to verify their results is different from those run by the state. "The private labs have a protocol where they have a positive test, they call it a presumptive test. They have to run it again, if they get it for a second time positive, it's a confirmed case. But they do have to report it to the state, and the state will have to validate that information," explained Dr. Vazquez. The tests for the three still need to be verified by the State's health department.

Vazquez, the chairman of the Starr County Memorial Hospital board, said a preliminary inquiry indicated one of the three cases is probably travel-related. The manner of transmission still needs to be determined in two cases. Those who are going to the drive-thru have referrals from their physicians. Dr. Vazquez said, "The doctor who did the referral will be the one who has more information about that case. They will contact TDH (Texas Department of Health) and they will conduct all the investigations that they have to do.

Over 50-percent of the people who get tested at the drive-thru are from Hidalgo County, but Vazquez confirmed these cases were from Starr County residents.