For the first time in five days, the Tarrant County Public Health Department is adding fewer than 1,000 new cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus. On Monday, TCPH confirmed 900 new cases along with no new deaths, bringing the county's total number of confirmed and probable cases of the virus to nearly 83,000.
Of the 900 additional cases reported Monday, data from the county health department indicates there are 808 more confirmed cases than the day before and 92 more probable cases.
Tarrant County began reporting both probable and confirmed cases in August at the request of the state health department. Probable cases, the county said, account for a variety of real-world situations and could highlight cases in the community that may otherwise go unreported. To date, the county has reported 73,617 confirmed cases of the virus and 9,298 probable cases for a total of 82,915 cases.
COVID-19 TRACKING u0026amp; TESTING
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The county is also reporting another 742 estimated recoveries, bringing the total number of survivors to 62,089. There are currently an estimated 20,032 active cases in the county, the most of any North Texas county.
Of the county's cases, 71% of those who have died were over the age of 65 even though they only make up 10% of the cases. Those aged 25 to 44 make up the largest percentage of people with COVID-19 at 36%.
The health department reports 792 COVID-19 patients are currently occupying hospital beds in the county on Monday -- about 15% of capacity and 66 more than were hospitalized with the virus on Friday.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen to record levels in North Texas with the Texas Department of State Health Services reporting 2,143 hospitalizations on Monday. Statewide, the DSHS said there are more than 7,400 Texans hospitalized with the virus.
The DFW Hospital Council's number for Monday is a little higher at 2,219 patients -- that's to be expected with the DSHS reporting generally lagging behind by a day. COVID-19 patients in DFW represent 14.4% of available beds and 35% of ICU patients, according to the council.
With 794 deaths now attributed to the virus, COVID-19 is now projected to be the third-leading killer of Tarrant County residents behind cancer and heart disease and is expected to surpass the annual total for stroke later this year.
COVID-19 causes a respiratory illness with cough, fever and shortness of breath and may lead to bronchitis, severe pneumonia or even death. For more information go to coronavirus.tarrantcounty.com or call the Tarrant County Public Health information line, 817-248-6299, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
