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The Texas Department of State Health Services reported more than 19,000 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, as well as increases in the positivity index and the number of people hospitalized with the virus.
According to data released by the DSHS, there were 15,558 new confirmed cases on Wednesday and 3,445 other probable cases for a total of 19,003 cases of the virus.
The DSHS also reported 7,685 people hospitalized statewide with the virus, an increase of 380 patients since Tuesday and the highest number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized since February 18.
W. Stephen Love, president and CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, said Wednesday there were 1,922 COVID-19 patients in area hospitals.
“We are sorry to see that number now exceed 1,900 COVID-19 hospital patients. This represents 12.81% of bed capacity and 30.96% of adult ICU patients, which means more than a quarter of our adult ICU patients have COVID-19, ”Love said. “For reference, we had 398 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on July 4, so as you can see our hospitalizations have increased dramatically in 30 days. “
The state health department also reported 60 more deaths on Wednesday. A month ago, on July 4, the 7-day moving average of deaths was 19, that number had risen to 44 per day today.
Experts warn that hospitalizations and deaths are delayed indicators of the severity of the pandemic and both are likely to continue to increase for some time after cases.
The state’s Molecular Positivity Index, once Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s barometer for the danger associated with the spread of the virus in the state, climbed to 17.71% on Wednesday. The last time the Positivity Index hit such a high level was on January 13. The historic high of the Molecular Positivity Index is 20.98%, which was reached during the winter peak of the third wave on January 4.
The rise in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths comes as Abbott maintains his position that Texans know what to do to stop the spread of COVID-19 and that no further intervention is needed from his go. Abbott has repeatedly said for several weeks that masking is a personal responsibility and that people should get vaccinated if they choose.
As recently as today, Abbott said at a conference in Dallas, “In the future there will be no more government-imposed closures or mask warrants. Everyone already knows what. Anyone can voluntarily implement the mandates that are safest for them, their families and their businesses. “
Medical experts, meanwhile, continue to warn that the vast majority of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are among those not yet vaccinated against the virus.
“Vaccinations absolutely help protect people and the unvaccinated are very much at risk with the increase in the delta variant, so wearing masks is another effective tool against COVID-19 as well,” Love said.
Love recommended three things we can all do to prevent the spread of the delta variant:
- If you are not vaccinated, talk to a reliable source, do your own scientific research, and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Do this for children under 12 (if for no other reason) as they cannot get vaccinated and need us to protect them.
- Wear a mask whether or not you are vaccinated. There was one town in Massachusetts where many vaccinated people got the delta variant but none died from the vaccines.
- Host virtual meetings, rather than in person, at least for the short term rather than hosting potential broadcast events.
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