JUDGE: WALMART EMPLOYEE PREVIOUSLY TESTED POSITIVE

 Milam County Judge Steve Young opened Monday's county commissioners meeting by confirming that an employee of Rockdale Walmart had previously tested positive for COVID-19.

  His comment came in the context of addressing rumors over the weekend that three employees of the store had tested positive.

  "That is not true," he said. "One employee had previously had a positive test. They have not been back to work and are self-quarantined. They will not be back until they test 'negative' and are cleared."

  Young said the store has taken "extra precautions and done extra cleaning." "We think they are going to be okay," he said.

  25 CASES—He said there was a new case reported Monday morning, making a total of 25 in the county. 

  Also during the meeting, Milam Health Department Director Robert Kirkpatrick addressed "herd immunity," noting that some have seen that concept as a key to beating back the virus. "You reach herd immunity when 90 percent of the population have it," he said. Kirkpatrick said, using current mortality rates, that would result in 325 deaths in Milam County.

  Young said a previous person who tested positive has now entered a Temple hospital.