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Dallas County reported 726 new coronavirus cases Friday, as well as 18 more deaths from COVID-19.
The latest victims were mostly in their 60s and older. Two — a Dallas woman in her 50s and a Garland man in his 80s — did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
Six of the victims were Dallas residents, two each were from DeSoto, Garland, Grand Prairie and Mesquite, and one each lived in Cedar Hill, Coppell, Mesquite and Richardson.
County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement that officials “soon” should know accurate numbers for daily new cases after last week’s weather led to delays in testing and reporting.
Of the new cases, 527 were confirmed and 199 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s overall case total to 279,834, including 244,862 confirmed and 34,972 probable. The death toll is 2,941.
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 Thursday, 486 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county. During the same period, 336 ER visits were for symptoms of the disease.
According to the state, 272,244 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 140,314 are fully vaccinated.
Texas
Across the state, 7,955 more cases were reported Friday, including 7,332 new cases and 623 older ones recently reported by labs.
The state also reported 290 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 42,575.
Of the new cases, 5,192 were confirmed and 2,140 were probable. Of the older cases, 443 were confirmed and 180 were probable.
The state’s case total is now 2,629,136, including 2,275,506 confirmed and 353,630 probable.
There are 6,185 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 1,596 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On Thursday, 9.5% 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 11.9% as of Thursday. For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 4.8%. 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, 3,340,425 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 1,681,947 are fully vaccinated.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County reported 589 coronavirus cases and 23 deaths Friday.
Most of the latest victims were in their 60s and older, and all had underlying high-risk health conditions. Eight were Fort Worth residents, six were from Arlington and one each lived in Benbrook, Crowley, Edgecliff Village, Euless, Mansfield, North Richland Hills, Saginaw, Southlake and an unincorporated area.
Tarrant County has been reporting higher death totals on Fridays because of when it receives death certificate data from the state.
Of the new cases, 456 were confirmed and 133 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 241,005, including 205,206 confirmed and 35,799 probable. The death toll is 2,841.
According to the county, 489 people are hospitalized with the virus as of Thursday — the county’s lowest hospitalization number in about four months.
According to the state, 207,305 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 134,120 are fully vaccinated.
Collin County
The state added 458 coronavirus cases and four deaths to Collin County’s totals Friday.
No details about the latest victims were available.
Of the new cases, 292 were confirmed and 166 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 82,848, including 69,745 confirmed and 13,103 probable. The death toll is 716.
According to the county, 276 people are hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 129,468 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 57,805 are fully vaccinated.
County Judge Chris Hill on Friday rescinded a COVID-19 disaster declaration that he issued last spring. The move, however, was more of a formality because state orders related to the pandemic — including a mask mandate and an order allowing businesses to operate at 75% of capacity — remain in place, Collin County spokesman Tim Wyatt said in an email.
“The disaster declaration being rescinded here today has no effect on the governor’s executive orders or what restrictions may have been altered or removed by Gov. [Greg] Abbott,” Wyatt said.
Denton County
Denton County reported 526 coronavirus cases Friday. No additional deaths were reported.
The newly reported cases bring the county’s case total to 63,648, including 48,625 confirmed and 15,023 probable. The death toll is 398.
According to the county, 112 people are hospitalized with the virus.
According to the state, 94,714 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 35,563 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: 10,504 cases (8,668 confirmed and 1,836 probable), 123 deaths.
- Kaufman County: 14,713 cases (12,573 confirmed and 2,140 probable), 215 deaths.
- Ellis County: 20,659 cases (17,909 confirmed and 2,750 probable), 273 deaths.
- Johnson County: 18,477 cases (16,004 confirmed and 2,473 probable), 315 deaths.