Officials in Dallas County reported 581 additional cases of COVID-19 Monday and the death of a Seagoville woman in her 90s who tested positive for the coronavirus.
The woman died in hospice care and had underlying health conditions, officials said.
The numbers reported Monday raise the totals in Dallas County to 55,255 cases of COVID-19 and 756 fatalities in people who tested positive.
Dallas County Health and Human Services also reported 40 probable cases of the virus. The county has 2,242 probable cases and six probable deaths from COVID-19.
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.
The county's seven-day average for new cases rose Monday for the second straight day -- to 538 -- after an eight-day drop in the average. The 14-day average stands at 573, down from a record-high of 1,108 on July 17.
"Today continues a trend of lower hospitalizations, lower ICU admissions and lower ED visits for COVID-19," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a statement. "Our new cases are in line with the trajectory that we've seen which is markedly lower than our high. We only had one death reported today, but every life is precious and our hearts go out to the family of the person whose death was announced today."
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.
As schools across North Texas prepare to open this month, DCHHS pointed out more than 2,500 children under 18 years old have tested positive for COVID-19 since July 1 -- including 61 who have been hospitalized.
"With the opening of schools soon, there will be more people around one another and it's imperative that we continue to do those things that are proven to be successful when we are around people outside of our home," Jenkins said.
