DALLAS, TX – Dallas County reported five more COVID-19 deaths and 209 new coronavirus cases Wednesday.
The latest victims were three Irving residents — a woman in her 60s and a man and a woman in their 80s — and a man in his 60s and a woman in her 90s who were both from Dallas. All five had underlying high-risk health conditions.
County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement that it is “more important than ever” that people get vaccinated as the virus’ more-contagious variants spread in the county.
“We all have a role to play and if you’ve already been vaccinated, your role is to continue to make good decisions on following CDC guidelines for the fully vaccinated,” Jenkins said. “You also should tell your story to people in your circle of influence so they can experience the benefit of being vaccinated and avoid the heartache of a serious case of COVID-19.”
Of the new cases, 126 were confirmed and 83 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s overall case total to 299,790, including 258,130 confirmed and 41,660 probable. The death toll is 3,918.
The average number of new daily cases in the county for the last two weeks is 227. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 249.
Health officials use hospitalizations, intensive-care admissions and emergency room visits as key metrics to track the real-time impact of COVID-19 in the county. In the 24-hour period that ended Tuesday, 187 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county. During the same period, 404 ER visits were for symptoms of the disease.
According to the state, 1,015,176 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 736,810 — 36.3% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.
Texas
Across the state, 2,504 more cases were reported Wednesday, including 2,288 new cases and 216 older ones recently reported by labs.
The state also reported 55 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 49,417.
Of the new cases, 1,798 were confirmed and 490 were probable. Of the older cases, 127 were confirmed and 89 were probable.
The state’s case total is now 2,896,218, including 2,480,166 confirmed and 416,052 probable.
There are 2,588 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 509 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On Tuesday, 3.2% of patients in the hospital region covering the Dallas-Fort Worth area were COVID-19 patients — below the 15% threshold the state has used to define high hospitalizations.
The seven-day average positivity rate statewide for molecular tests, based on the date of test specimen collection, was 4.9% as of Tuesday. For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 3.6%. A molecular test is considered more accurate and is sometimes also called a PCR test; an antigen test is also called a rapid test. Gov. Greg Abbott has said a positivity rate above 10% is cause for concern.
According to the state, 11,239,649 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 8,211,173 — 36.6% of the state’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County reported two deaths and 136 cases Wednesday.
The latest victims were two men, one in his 20s and the other in his 50s. One was from Arlington and the other lived in Benbrook, and both had underlying high-risk health conditions.
Of the new cases, 106 were confirmed and 30 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 257,609, including 216,284 confirmed and 41,325 probable. The death toll is 3,427.
According to the county, 153 people are hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 766,683 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 578,241 — 35.8% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.
Collin County
The state added no deaths and 111 cases to Collin County’s totals Wednesday.
Of the new cases, 61 were confirmed and 50 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 90,273, including 74,276 confirmed and 15,997 probable. The death toll is 822.
According to the county, 81 people are hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 477,694 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 358,526 — 44.7% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.
Denton County
Denton County reported four deaths and 116 cases Wednesday.
The latest victims were a man in his 30s from Pilot Point, a man in his 50s who lived in Fort Worth and two women from Carrollton, one in her 70s and the other in her 80s.
The newly reported cases bring the county’s case total to 74,696, including 54,968 confirmed and 19,728 probable. The death toll is 495.
According to the county, 34 people are hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 375,965 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 289,732 — 41.5% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.
Dr. Matt Richardson, director of public health in Denton County, said he anticipates operations at Texas Motor Speedway, the county’s mass vaccination site, to stop in mid-May.
All remaining eligible Texans on its waitlists will have appointments scheduled at two of the site’s remaining clinics, one this Saturday and one next Friday, Richardson said. When the site closes, the county will transition to partnering with community organizations to administer vaccines.
Other counties
The Texas Department of State Health Services has taken over reporting for these other North Texas counties. In some counties, new data may not be reported every day.
The latest numbers are:
- Rockwall County: 11,481 cases (9,263 confirmed and 2,218 probable), 153 deaths.
- Kaufman County: 15,992 cases (13,345 confirmed and 2,647 probable), 256 deaths.
- Ellis County: 22,727 cases (18,878 confirmed and 3,849 probable), 310 deaths.
- Johnson County: 19,749 cases (16,756 confirmed and 2,993 probable), 367 deaths.
