Dallas County reports 20 coronavirus deaths, 296 cases; Tarrant County adds 9 deaths

Dallas County reported 20 more COVID-19 deaths and 296 new coronavirus cases Thursday.

The latest victims were mostly in their 60s or older but also included an Irving woman in her 30s who was found dead at her home. Seven were men and 13 were women, and all 20 had underlying high-risk health conditions.

Nine of the victims were Dallas residents, four lived in Irving, two each were from DeSoto and Grand Prairie, and one each lived in Carrollton, Garland and Mesquite.

County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement there are reasons to be optimistic about the direction of the pandemic, including coronavirus hospitalizations trending downward and Parkland Memorial Hospital closing its COVID-19 units.

“The death numbers remain stubbornly high, but I am hopeful that as more and more people get vaccinated and the daily case numbers continue to trend lower, we will see these numbers improve,” Jenkins said.

Of the new cases, 146 were confirmed and 150 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s overall case total to 289,494, including 251,360 confirmed and 38,134 probable. The death toll is 3,454.

The average number of new daily cases in the county for the last two weeks is 272. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 470.

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 Wednesday, 189 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county. During the same period, 363 ER visits were for symptoms of the disease.

According to the state, 545,620 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 281,907 — 14.0% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Texas

Across the state, 3,234 more cases were reported Thursday, including 2,955 new cases and 279 older ones recently reported by labs.

The state also reported 132 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 46,868.

Of the new cases, 2,167 were confirmed and 788 were probable. Of the older cases, 170 were confirmed and 109 were probable.

The state’s case total is now 2,759,866, including 2,377,275 confirmed and 382,591 probable.

There are 3,410 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 718 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On Wednesday, 4.4% 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 5.7% as of Wednesday. For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 3.2%. 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, 6,595,986 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 3,345,895 — 14.9% of the state’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Tarrant County

Tarrant County reported nine deaths and 142 cases Thursday.

The latest victims were four Fort Worth women, including one in her 60s and three in their 80s; an Arlington man in his 30s; a Bedford woman over 90; a Grapevine man in his 80s; a Southlake woman in her 40s; and a Watauga woman in her 70s. All had underlying high-risk health conditions.

Of the new cases, 83 were confirmed and 59 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 249,821, including 211,133 confirmed and 38,688 probable. The death toll is 3,240.

According to the county, 208 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 392,991 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 217,298 — 13.6% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Collin County

The state added one death and 77 cases to Collin County’s totals Thursday.

No details about the latest victim were available.

Of the new cases, 56 were confirmed and 21 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 85,893, including 71,570 confirmed and 14,323 probable. The death toll is 786.

According to the county, 138 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 260,518 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 133,549 — 16.6% of the county’s population 16 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Denton County

Denton County reported 74 cases Thursday. No additional deaths were reported.

The newly reported cases bring the county’s case total to 71,388, including 53,054 confirmed and 18,334 probable. The death toll is 462.

According to the county, 34 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 181,295 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 103,166 — 14.7% 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: 11,001 cases (8,995 confirmed and 2,006 probable), 147 deaths.
• Kaufman County: 15,389 cases (12,975 confirmed and 2,414 probable), 234 deaths.
• Ellis County: 21,729 cases (18,362 confirmed and 3,367 probable), 302 deaths.
• Johnson County: 19,186 cases (16,435 confirmed and 2,751 probable), 357 deaths.