Dallas County is reporting another record number of new COVID-19 cases Friday, nearly 300, along with 10 more deaths of people whose ages range from their 20s to their 100s.
All but one of the 10 deaths reported Friday had underlying health conditions and half of them lived in long-term care facilities. Among the latest victims are 10 people who include:
- A woman in her 20s from Dallas who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized.
- A woman in her 60s from Dallas who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized.
- A man in his 70s who lived at a long-term care facility in Irving and who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized.
- A man in his 70s from Carrollton who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized.
- A man in his 80s from Dallas who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized.
- A man in his 80s who lived at a long-term care facility in Dallas who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized.
- A woman in her 90s who lived at a long-term care facility in Dallas who did not had underlying health conditions and who died at home.
- A man in his 90s from Dallas who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized.
- A woman in her 90s who lived at a long-term care facility in Dallas and died at the home.
- A woman in her 100s who lived at a long-term care facility in Dallas and died at the home.
The 298 new cases announced Friday top the 285 announced Thursday, which were until Friday the highest single-day total confirmed by the county yet. The additional cases bring the county's total number of cases to 11,541.
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"I cannot stress to you how important it is for everyone to know their status, who are attending large gatherings so that they can protect themselves, those around them, their families and our community. It’s up to all of us to 'Stay Home, Save Lives' and Flatten the Curve," Judge Clay Jenkins tweeted Friday afternoon.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, an estimated 6,687 people in the county have recovered from the virus.
“Today’s numbers continue a trend of a significant increase in the number of new cases and deaths from the week before ... It is more important than ever that you avoid large crowds and keep 6 feet apart when you are outside of your home. Please wear cloth face coverings when on public transportation and in businesses as evidence is increasingly accumulating that this protects you and the people that you come into contact with," Jenkins said. "Even if you feel invincible, some of the people who are in locations outside your home with you may have high-risk conditions, so please do the simple act of kindness and respect for other people’s health in wearing your mask. Also, please wash your hands regularly, and when you don’t have access to soap and water, carry hand sanitizer and use it frequently."
"Finally, please get tested. If you’ve been protesting for several days now, it’s a good idea for you to get tested. You are eligible for testing at the drive-thru sites at the American Airlines Center or the Ellis Davis Field House and we are creating some walk up sites in South Dallas for those who don’t have cars. I cannot stress to you how important it is for everyone to know their status who are attending large gatherings so that they can protect themselves, those around them, their families and our community," Jenkins said.
DCHHS said local health experts use hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ER visits as three of the key indicators in determining the COVID-19 Risk Level (color-coded risk) and corresponding guidelines for activities during our COVID-19 response.
Suspected COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU Admissions, and ER visits continue to remain flat in Dallas County according to information reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council.
"Those numbers have been still flat, it's plateaued, and haven't seen a significant increase, but we haven't seen, the 14-day decrease that we'd love to see," Huang said Thursday.
DCHHS said they are continuing to see a sustained daily census of about 300 COVID-19 patients in Dallas County hospitals over the past two weeks, the county health department said. Additionally, we are seeing a sustained number of individuals presenting to Dallas County hospital emergency rooms with suspected COVID-19 symptoms.
Approximately 21% of emergency room visits in Dallas County for a 24-hour period ending Thursday, June 4, representing some 397 patients, presented to Dallas County emergency room with COVID-19 symptoms.
DCHHS said Thursday of cases requiring hospitalization who reported employment, over 80% have been critical infrastructure workers, with a broad range of affected occupational sectors, including healthcare, transportation, food and agriculture, public works, finance, communications, clergy, first responders and other essential functions.
Of cases requiring hospitalization, two-thirds 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.
The county has been reporting for several weeks now that more than a third of the deaths related to COVID-19 have been among residents of long-term care facilities.
