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Cases of COVID-19 climbed to 13,540 in Irving, making it the hardest-hit city in Dallas County behind Dallas itself, according to the Dallas County Health Department.
The city has an additional 1,028 probable cases. Dallas County counts probable cases separately and does not include them in its confirmed case totals.
In total, 82 Irving residents have died from this virus.
City Hall
City Hall reopened its customer service, a couple weeks after closing due to the rising number of coronavirus cases.
The city is now using a temperature kiosk to conduct temperature checks for visitors on the first floor of City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd. The machine will print a sticker when visitors are cleared to proceed, and the sticker should be worn visibly.
Utility bills can be paid online or by calling 972-721-3744. Residents also can pay them at any Ace Cash Express, Fiesta Mart grocery store or Western Union Union in Irving.
For questions related to the city, call City Call Customer Service at 972-721-2411.
Dallas County
Dallas County has reported 149,055 confirmed cases and 16,697 probable cases. The county has recorded 1,391 COVID-19 deaths, a combined figure for probable and confirmed deaths.
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, 838 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county. During the same period, 565 ER visits were for symptoms of the disease.
Capacity at businesses in the state hospital region that includes Irving remains at 50%, as COVID-19 hospitalizations accounted for 17.36% of North Texas hospital beds Wednesday — topping Gov. Greg Abbott’s 15% threshold.
Across the state, 18,007 more cases and 252 COVID-19 deaths were reported Wednesday. Texas has now reported 1,519,340 total cases and 24,394 fatalities.
The seven-day average positivity rate statewide for molecular tests, based on the date of test specimen collection, was 13.8% as of Tuesday. State health officials said using data based on when people were tested provides the most accurate positivity rate.
Dallas County’s case counts for Irving are updated Tuesday and Friday.
Schools
Since Aug. 10, when staff reported to work, Irving ISD has reported 639 COVID-19 cases. Of those, 116 are active and the rest have recovered.
Irving ISD recently denied requests from 150 staff members to work from home, citing a teacher shortage amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Irving ISD spokeswoman Nicole Mansell said the district is trying to balance providing a quality education to students with protecting the health and safety of employees.
Every six weeks, families can choose whether to attend school in person or virtually. The number of in-person students increased “at a rapid rate,” Mansell said, with nearly 15,000 students, or 46%, attending campuses.
Businesses
The city of Irving expanded a program aimed at helping small businesses that have suffered financially from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Independently owned franchises are now eligble to apply, as well as sole proprietors and home-based business owners. Businesses can receive up to $50,000 in forgivable loans.
Testing
A new walk-up COVID-19 testing site is now open.
Parkland Health & Hospital System has partnered with Dallas County Health and Human Services and the city of Dallas to open the site at Parkland’s Irving Health Center, 1800 N. Britain Road.
Hours for the new site will be 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or until the site reaches capacity each day. Reservations are not required, and results are expected within 48 to 72 hours.
Patients must live in Dallas County and show verification of address, such as a utility bill or government-issued ID.
First responders, DART drivers and healthcare workers can receive a test regardless of where they live if they work in Dallas County. They must provide a valid work ID.
Test recipients must be at least 5 years old.