Dallas County Reports 35 New Deaths From COVID-19, First Case of New York Virus Strain

Dallas County reported 35 additional COVID-19 deaths and 351 new coronavirus cases on Thursday.

The latest victims were mostly in their 60s or older, but a woman in her 20s and a woman in her 30s have also died. Eighteen were men and seventeen were women. Three of them, including two men in their 40s, had no underlying high-risk health conditions.

Sixteen of the victims lived in Dallas, four were each from Garland and Grand Prairie, three each from Irving and Mesquite, and one each lived in Balch Springs, Cockrell Hill, DeSoto, Farmers Branch and Rowlett.

County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement that one of the new cases was the B.1.526 variant of the virus – a strain more prevalent in New York City – and that the person who contracted it had not traveled outside the county. There have also been several recent cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, which was first identified in the UK and could be more deadly.

Jenkins said the local emergence of these strains is a good reason to continue to take precautions against the virus, including wearing a mask and avoiding crowds.

“By practicing the evidence-based approaches that have provided protection over the past year, registering in as many places as you are willing to drive and being vaccinated as soon as it is your turn, we will beat COVID-19 this year, “he said.

Of the new cases, 229 were confirmed and 122 were probable. The figures bring the county’s total number of cases to 285,683, including 248,724 confirmed and 36,959 probable. The death toll is 3,236.

Health officials are using hospitalizations, intensive care admissions and emergency room visits as key indicators to track the real-time impact of COVID-19 in the county. In the 24-hour period that ended Wednesday, 268 patients with COVID-19 were in acute care at county hospitals. During the same period, 396 emergency room visits were for symptoms of the disease.

According to the state, 403,603 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 224,351 – 11.1% of the county’s population aged 16 and over – are fully vaccinated.

Texas

Statewide, an additional 4,755 cases were reported as of Thursday, including 4,053 new cases and 702 older cases recently reported by labs.

The state also reported 231 deaths from COVID-19, bringing its toll to 45,106.

Of the new cases, 3,032 were confirmed and 1,021 were probable. Of the older cases, 548 have been confirmed and 154 were probable.

The state’s total number of cases is now 2,704,344, of which 2,333,796 are confirmed and 370,548 probable.

There are 4,406 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 926 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. As of Wednesday, 5.6% of patients in the hospital region covering the Dallas-Fort Worth area were COVID-19 patients – below the 15% threshold the state used to define high hospitalizations.

The statewide seven-day average positivity rate for molecular testing, based on the date of sample collection, was 7.1% on Wednesday. For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 3.5%. A molecular test is considered more accurate and is sometimes also called a PCR test; an antigen test is also called a rapid test. Governor Greg Abbott said a positivity rate above 10% was concerning.

According to the state, 4,848,150 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 2,602,278 – 11.6% of the state’s population aged 16 and over – are fully vaccinated.

Tarrant County

Tarrant County reported eight deaths and 433 cases on Thursday.

The latest victims were two residents of Fort Worth, a man in his sixties and a woman in the eighties; an Arlington man in his fifties; an Azle man in his sixties; a man from Haltom City in his forties; a man from Keller in his 80s; a man from North Richland Hills in his sixties; and a man over 90 who lived in an unincorporated area. Six of the eight had underlying high-risk health conditions.

Of the new cases, 262 were confirmed and 171 were probable. The figures bring the county’s total number of cases to 246,510, with 208,894 confirmed and 37,616 probable. The death toll is 3,038.

According to the county, 295 people were hospitalized with the virus on Wednesday.

According to the state, 294,228 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 184,226 – 11.5% of the county’s population aged 16 and over – are fully vaccinated.

Collin County

The state added four deaths and 140 cases to the Collin County totals on Thursday.

No details on the latest casualties were available.

Of the new cases, 62 were confirmed and 78 were probable. The figures bring the county’s total number of cases to 84,729, with 70,897 confirmed and 13,832 probable. The death toll is 758.

According to the county, 183 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 181,967 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 108,572 – 13.5% of the county’s population aged 16 and over – are fully vaccinated.

Denton County

Denton County reported 455 cases on Thursday. No additional deaths were reported.

The newly reported cases bring the county’s total number of cases to 69,307, with 51,637 confirmed and 17,670 probable. The death toll is 431.

According to the county, 51 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 126,448 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 88,245 – 12.6% of the county’s population aged 16 and over – are fully vaccinated.

Other counties

The Texas Department of State Health Services have resumed reporting for these other North Texas counties. In some countries, new data may not be communicated every day.

The latest numbers are:

• Rockwall County: 10,797 cases (8,868 confirmed and 1,929 probable), 137 deaths.
• Kaufman County: 15,146 cases (12,829 confirmed and 2,317 probable), 231 deaths.
• Ellis County: 21,471 cases (18,176 confirmed and 3,295 probable), 292 deaths.
• Johnson County: 18,870 cases (16,226 confirmed and 2,644 probable), 339 deaths.