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Dallas County on Saturday reported 1,024 new coronavirus cases and 10 more deaths from COVID-19. The fatalities pushed this week’s toll to a record 228, far surpassing the previous seven-day high of 183 set last week.
Eight of the latest victims lived in Dallas, including two women in their 80s and six men — three in their 80s and one each in their 60s, 70s and 90s. The two others were a Mesquite man in his 80s and a Lancaster woman in her 90s. All 10 had underlying health conditions.
With the Super Bowl on Sunday, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins discouraged residents from celebrating the game with people other than those they live with in order to prevent further spread of the virus.
Of the new cases, 857 were confirmed and 167 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s overall case total to 266,335, including 234,210 confirmed and 32,125 probable. The death toll is 2,407.
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, 818 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county. During the same period, 443 ER visits were for symptoms of the disease.
According to state data, 183,599 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 50,286 are fully vaccinated.
Texas
Across the state, 13,897 more cases were reported Saturday, including 13,192 new cases and 705 older ones recently reported by labs.
The state also reported 348 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 38,476.
Of the new cases, 10,904 were confirmed and 2,288 were probable. Of the older cases, 421 were confirmed and 284 were probable.
The state’s case total is now 2,476,783, including 2,154,678 confirmed and 322,105 probable.
There are 9,957 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 2,683 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On Friday, 19% of patients in the hospital region covering the Dallas-Fort Worth area were COVID-19 patients — above 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 12.48% as of Friday. For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 4.88%. 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’s data, 2,330,010 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 733,287 are fully vaccinated.
Texas is set to receive more than 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the week starting Monday, the state’s health department announced Friday.
Of the state’s allotment, North Texas is set to receive more than 80,000 doses, including some 35,000 for Dallas County, about 9,000 for Denton County, some 10,600 for Collin County, and 25,750 for Tarrant County.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County reported 1,245 coronavirus cases and 40 deaths Saturday.
Most of the latest victims were in their 60s to 80s, but one was in his 40s and several were in their 90s. Fifteen of the victims were from Fort Worth, 11 lived in Arlington, two each lived in Crowley and White Settlement, and one each lived in Azle, Bedford, Euless, Grapevine, Haltom City, Hurst, Keller, Kennedale, Watauga and unincorporated Tarrant County.
All but three of the victims had underlying high-risk health conditions.
Of the new cases, 1,093 were confirmed and 152 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 228,038, including 194,962 confirmed and 33,076 probable. The death toll is 2,427.
According to the county, 967 people are hospitalized with the virus as of Friday.
According to the state, 129,201 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 36,604 are fully vaccinated.
Collin County
The state added 355 coronavirus cases and seven deaths to Collin County’s totals Saturday.
No details about the latest victims were available.
Of the new cases, 288 were confirmed and 67 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 76,446, including 65,160 confirmed and 11,286 probable. The death toll is 625.
According to the county, 374 people are hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 76,636 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 21,129 are fully vaccinated.
Denton County
Denton County reported 326 coronavirus cases. No new deaths were reported.
The newly reported cases bring the county’s case total to 56,629, including 44,221 confirmed and 12,408 probable. The death toll is 344.
According to the county, 156 people are hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 37,552 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 12,827 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: 9,881 cases (8,173 confirmed and 1,708 probable), 108 deaths.
- Kaufman County: 13,724 cases (11,853 confirmed and 1,871 probable), 189 deaths.
- Ellis County: 19,505 cases (17,008 confirmed and 2,497 probable), 249 deaths.
- Johnson County: 17,394 cases (15,193 confirmed and 2,201 probable), 293 deaths.