Hidalgo County announced on Thursday that 17 people had tested positive for the coronavirus — bringing the total number of cases to 79 in Hidalgo County.

At about 8 p.m. Thursday, Hidalgo County announced that 17 more people had tested positive for the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

"Hidalgo County epidemiologists, who investigate all COVID-19 cases, had concluded that most of the earlier positive cases could likely be traced to travel in infected areas," according to a news release from Hidalgo County. "But more recent cases suggest that clusters of new cases can now be traced to those people who had tested positive earlier."

The news came just hours after Cameron County announced nine new cases, bringing the total number of cases in Cameron County to 46.

During the past few weeks, people of all ages — ranging from an 8-month-old girl in Edinburg to a 70-year-old man in Hidalgo — tested positive for the virus.

In an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus, Hidalgo County, Cameron County, Starr County and Willacy County adopted emergency orders that restricted travel and told residents to stay home. Cities also told residents to avoid all non-essential travel.

Unless a person must purchase groceries, seek medical care or perform work deemed "essential," he or she must stay home.

The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office and the Cameron County Sheriff's Office announced that deputies would enforce the emergency orders.