After five straight days reporting four or fewer coronavirus-related deaths, Dallas County on Wednesday added eight fatalities attributed to COVID-19.
Five of the people who died were Dallas residents, while the other three were residents of Mesquite, according to Dallas County Health and Human Services.
The eight fatalities bring the number of COVID-19-related deaths in Dallas County to 221.
Additionally Wednesday, health officials reported 197 additional cases of the new coronavirus, Dallas County's highest daily total since Friday. The new cases raise the countywide total to 9,385.
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.
Health officials released the following information Wednesday about the victims.
- A Dallas man in his 30s, who did not have underlying health conditions and was found dead at home.
- A Dallas man in his 40s with high risk health conditions who had been critically ill at an area hospital.
- A Dallas man in his 50s who been critically ill at an area hospital.
- A Dallas woman in her 70s with high risk health conditions who had been hospitalized.
- A Dallas woman in her 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility and had been hospitalized.
- A Mesquite woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions who died at a long-term care facility.
- A Mesquite man in his 80s with underlying health conditions who died at a long-care facility.
- A Mesquite woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions who died at a long-term care facility.
The eight deaths are the highest daily total since the county reported 14 on May 19.
"Today's numbers are a somber reminder of the need to continue with the 'Stay Home Stay Safe' safety measures that have proven effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our community," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement. "Avoid unnescessary crowds, maintain 6 foot social distancing when out of the home, wear a face covering as a sign of respect and kindness to your fellow man when on public transportation or at a business, and use good hand hygiene."
According DCHHS, of the coronavirus cases that have required hospitalization, more than 80% have been in critical infrastructure workers and two-thirds of the cases requiring hospitalization have been in people under 65 years old.
About half of those hospitalized have not had high-risk underlying health conditions, DCHHS said.
The county said indicators it uses to track the risk level of COVID-19, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and emergency room visits, continue to remain flat.
Tracking COVID-19 Cases in North Texas Counties
NBC 5 is tracking the number of COVID-19 related cases, recoveries and deaths in North Texas counties. Choose a county and click on a city or town to see how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting your area.
Cases are cumulative by day and are subject to change, dependent on each county health department's reporting schedule and methodology. Data may be reported county-wide, by city or town, or not at all. Cases, recoveries and death counts in 'unspecified' categories are used as placeholders and reassigned by their respective counties at a later date.
Data: County Health Departments, NBC 5 Staff
Nina Lin/NBC
