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Two more people have died from coronavirus in Dallas County, bringing the county’s total to 123 deaths.
County health officials also reported 246 additional cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Both victims were residents of long-term care facilities: a Garland woman in her 80s and a Dallas man in his 80s.
Long-term care facilities have been associated with about a third of the county’s deaths, health officials said. Statewide, about 46% of coronavirus deaths have been residents of such facilities.
Wednesday was the 16th consecutive day Dallas County reported at least one death from the virus, and the new cases bring the county’s total to 4,869.
Wednesday’s report came one day after Dallas County reported 253 new cases, its single-day high. The county’s seven highest single-day COVID-19 totals all have occurred in the past week.
Dallas County doesn’t report how many people have recovered from the virus.
County Judge Clay Jenkins said Tuesday that the recent spike in cases can’t be attributed to a significant increase in public testing, but rather a change to who is being tested: Front-line workers at grocery stores and big-box retailers are now able to get tested for COVID-19 without symptoms. Jenkins added that the county doesn’t have full visibility into testing at private labs.
As of Tuesday, about 61% of beds were in use across 25 hospitals in the city of Dallas. Intensive care unit beds were 64% filled and 35% of the city’s 942 ventilators were in use, according to Mayor Eric Johnson.
County officials have said that about 85% of people who were hospitalized and reported their employment were critical infrastructure workers, including medical workers, truckers, grocery store and restaurant employees, and first responders. In addition, 66% of hospitalizations have been among people younger than 65.
On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the next wave of business re-openings in Texas: Hair and nail salons can start operating Friday while gyms and manufacturing plants are scheduled to open May 18. Those businesses must limit their occupancy, and face masks are recommended but not required.
Tarrant County reported five more coronavirus deaths and 127 additional cases on Wednesday. So far, 88 people in the county have died from the virus.
All of Wednesday’s victims had underlying health conditions, according to health officials. Three of were residents of Fort Worth: a man in his 50s, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s. The other two were a Benbrook man in his 60s and a Keller woman in her 90s.
So far there have been 2,813 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Tarrant County. Of those, 654 patients have recovered.
In addition, Tarrant County Public Health reported its hospital beds are at 57% capacity and about 32% of its ventilators are in use.
Denton County
Officials in Denton County reported 14 new cases of COVID-19, along with 10 recoveries from the illness.
No new virus-related deaths were reported Wednesday.
The county has had 846 total cases, with 22 deaths and 406 recoveries.
Officials also said that about 12% of the 178 people tested at the county’s first drive-through testing site over the weekend were found to be positive for the virus.
The county will have another drive-through testing site from 8 a.m. to noon Friday in the Dillard’s Parking lot at Music City Mall, 2401 S. Stemmons Freeway in Lewisville.
Anyone may be tested if they have shown symptoms of COVID-19, and first responders, health care personnel, long-term care facility employees and transportation workers may be tested without symptoms. To register, call 940-349-2585.
Collin County
Eleven new positive coronavirus tests were reported Wednesday in Collin County.
Officials also reported eight additional recoveries, and no deaths.
In all, the county has had 836 cases, including 557 recoveries and 22 deaths. Twenty-five patients remain hospitalized.
Rockwall County
Rockwall County reported three new positive cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the county’s updated total to 105.
Two of the new cases are residents of Rockwall. The other is a resident of Fate. The unidentified people are in their 30s, 40s and 50s, the Rockwall County Office of Emergency Management said.
As of Tuesday, 56 people had recovered from the virus, the county reported. Three people have also died. All three were residents of the Broadmoor Medical Lodge in Rockwall.
Ellis County
Ellis County officials on Wednesday reported one new death from COVID-19 as five new positive and/or probable cases brought the countywide total to 210.
The patient who died, also one of the county’s five new cases, was a 71-year-old resident of Waxahachie’s Legend Oaks Healthcare Rehabilitation facility.
The four other new cases include a 54-year-old Ennis woman as well two residents of Red Oak, a 38-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man. Additionally, a 41-year-old Red Oak man is listed as a probable case.
The county also reported three recovered patients.
Kaufman County
Five new cases of COVID-19 were reported Wednesday in Kaufman County, bringing the county’s total to 101.
One resident has died from the virus, and 77 are presumed to have recovered, according to the county’s data.