Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties reach 8,000 COVID-19 deaths

Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties reached a combined coronavirus death toll of 8,000 on Saturday, according to the latest data.

In Dallas County, officials reported 16 more COVID-19 deaths and 312 new coronavirus cases.

The latest victims included four Garland residents and six Dallas residents, including a man in his 80s who died at home, a man in his 90s who died in hospice care and a woman in her 90s who lived in a long-term care facility and died in hospice care.

Two other residents of long-term care facilities were also among the most recent victims: a Lancaster woman in her 60s and a Duncanville man in his 80s. A Hutchins man in his 70s died in his home.

The victims included 11 men and five women, and all but two of the victims were in their 60s and older. The youngest was a Dallas man in his 30s who died at home. All but one had underlying health conditions.

Of the new cases, 99 were confirmed and 213 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s overall case total to 290,108, including 251,502 confirmed and 38,606 probable. The death toll is 3,485.

The average number of new daily cases in the county for the last two weeks is 268. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 425.

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 Friday, 196 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county. During the same period, 364 ER visits were for symptoms of the disease.

According to the state, 571,326 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 307,043 — 15.2% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Texas

Across the state, 4,219 more cases were reported Saturday, including 4,029 new cases and 190 older ones recently reported by labs.

The state also reported 107 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 47,093.

Of the new cases, 2,292 were confirmed and 1,737 were probable. Of the older cases, 120 were confirmed and 70 were probable.

The state’s case total is now 2,769,665, including 2,384,271 confirmed and 385,394 probable.

There are 3,308 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 667 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On Friday, 4.06% 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 5.27% as of Friday. For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 2.66%. 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, 6,913,334 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 3,577,264 — 15.9% of the state’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Tarrant County

Tarrant County reported seven deaths and 172 cases Saturday.

The latest victims include two Arlington residents, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 90s; three Fort Worth residents, a man in his 60s and two women in their 80s; and two women in their 70s from Grapevine and White Settlement. All had underlying health conditions.

Of the new cases, 126 were confirmed and 46 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 250,093, including 211,332 confirmed and 38,761 probable. The death toll is 3,265.

According to the county, 199 people were hospitalized with the virus on Friday.

According to the state, 409,201 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 231,094 — 14.5% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Collin County

The state added one death and 146 cases to Collin County’s totals Saturday.

No details about the latest victim were available.

Of the new cases, 83 were confirmed and 63 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 86,161, including 71,703 confirmed and 14,458 probable. The death toll is 788.

According to the county, 160 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 276,466 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 141,570 — 17.6% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Denton County

Denton County Public Health said it would no longer be providing COVID-19 updates on the weekends due to a lower number of positive labs.

As of Friday, there were 71,484 total cases in the county, including 53,103 confirmed and 18,381 probable. The death toll is 462.

According to the county, 36 people were hospitalized with the virus Friday.

According to the state, 194,917 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 106,840 — 15.2% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

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: 11,035 cases (9,021 confirmed and 2,014 probable), 149 deaths.
• Kaufman County: 15,432 cases (13,004 confirmed and 2,428 probable), 238 deaths.
• Ellis County: 22,043 cases (18,528 confirmed and 3,515 probable), 303 deaths.
• Johnson County: 19,220 cases (16,460 confirmed and 2,760 probable), 357 deaths.