Dallas County reports 10 deaths from COVID-19 as spread of virus shows signs of slowdown

Dallas County reported 10 more COVID-19 deaths and 215 new coronavirus cases Wednesday.

Eight of the latest victims were Dallas residents: a woman in her 30s, three men and two women in their 60s, a man in his 70s and a man in his 80s. The others were a DeSoto man in his 50s and a Seagoville man in his 70s. All 10 had underlying high-risk health conditions.

County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement that, thanks to the rising number of vaccinations, the virus’s local spread has slowed significantly.

The virus’s reproductivity number, or Rt, is currently 0.69, Jenkins said — meaning that each case of COVID-19 results in 0.69 additional cases. An Rt below 1 means that the outbreak is shrinking.

“This number ties for the steepest drop we’ve seen since the beginning of COVID,” Jenkins said.

Of the new cases, 182 were confirmed and 33 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s overall case total to 287,451, including 250,028 confirmed and 37,423 probable. The death toll is 3,330.

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, 237 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county. During the same period, 335 ER visits were for symptoms of the disease.

According to the state, 466,438 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 245,212 — 12.2% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Texas

Across the state, 5,076 more cases were reported Wednesday, including 4,746 new cases and 330 older ones recently reported by labs.

The state also reported 179 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 45,879.

Of the new cases, 4,034 were confirmed and 712 were probable. Of the older cases, 250 were confirmed and 80 were probable.

The state’s case total is now 2,731,270, including 2,355,666 confirmed and 375,604 probable.

There are 3,915 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 824 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On Tuesday, 5.1% 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 6.4% as of Tuesday. For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 2.5%. 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, 5,704,319 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 2,946,045 — 13.1% of the state’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Tarrant County

Tarrant County reported nine deaths and 323 cases Wednesday.

The latest victims include three Hurst residents — a woman in her 60s and a man and a woman in their 70s; a Euless woman in her 50s; a Fort Worth woman in her 70s; a Grand Prairie woman in her 60s; a Haltom City woman older than 90; a Mansfield woman in her 80s; and a River Oaks man in his 70s. All nine had underlying high-risk health conditions.

Of the new cases, 222 were confirmed and 101 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 248,102, including 210,021 confirmed and 38,081 probable. The death toll is 3,147.

According to the county, 257 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 355,436 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 199,026 — 12.5% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Collin County

The state added three deaths and 11 cases to Collin County’s totals Wednesday.

No details about the latest victims were available.

Of the new cases, eight were confirmed and three were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 85,326, including 71,277 confirmed and 14,049 probable. The death toll is 773.

According to the county, 146 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 218,832 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 119,813 — 14.9% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Denton County

Denton County reported 236 cases Wednesday. No additional deaths were reported.

The newly reported cases bring the county’s case total to 70,579, including 52,542 confirmed and 18,037 probable. The death toll is 447.

According to the county, 42 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 151,477 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 95,167 — 13.5% 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: 10,883 cases (8,926 confirmed and 1,957 probable), 141 deaths.
• Kaufman County: 15,280 cases (12,915 confirmed and 2,365 probable), 232 deaths.
• Ellis County: 21,602 cases (18,271 confirmed and 3,331 probable), 299 deaths.
• Johnson County: 19,009 cases (16,314 confirmed and 2,695 probable), 345 deaths.