Health officials in Dallas County on Wednesday reported 234 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nine coronavirus-related deaths, as the county's 14-day average for new cases fell to its lowest point since July 2.
The additional 9 deaths being reported today are the following 9 confirmed deaths, according to Dallas County Health and Human Services:
- A man in his 30s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 60s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70s who was a resident of the City of DeSoto. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70s who was a resident of the City of Irving. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She was found deceased at home and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Duncanville. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
The additional 234 confirmed cases of COVID-19 raise Dallas County's total to 55,787.
With Wednesday's numbers -- the lowest number of new cases Dallas County has reported since Thursday -- Dallas County's seven-day average dropped to 450, while its 14-day average fell to 504. Both are numbers not seen in well over a month. The seven-day average for new cases has not been that low since June 26 and the 14-day average hasn't been so low since July 2.
"When we have an outbreak, the numbers shoot up quickly but they come down slowly, so continuing to do the things that are proving to be effective is the best way to keep less people from getting sick, to keep more businesses open and to get our students back into school sooner rather than later," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a statement.
*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.
The county is also reporting 88 more probable cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of probable cases to 2,360, including seven deaths. Those numbers are not included in the confirmed counts.
Dallas County does not report recoveries from COVID-19 because it lacks the manpower to follow up with thousands of patients, however, the Texas Department of State Health Services posts an estimated number of recoveries on its site and lists 78,164 for Dallas County as of Saturday, Oct. 10. Using data supplied by the state, there are an estimated 6,120 active COVID-19 cases in the county.
As schools across North Texas prepare to open this month, DCHHS pointed out more than 2,800 children under 18 years old have tested positive for COVID-19 since July 1 -- including 65 who have been hospitalized.
Of the patients who went to hospitals last week with symptoms of COVID-19, 15.9% tested positive for the virus, according to the county.
Of cases requiring hospitalization, two-thirds of all COVID-19 patients have been under 65 years of age, and about half do not have high-risk chronic health conditions. Diabetes has been an underlying high-risk health condition reported in about a third of all hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
