3,303 New COVID-19 Cases Reported In Dallas County
DALLAS — Health officials in Texas have warned reporting may be skewed over the next few days to account for closed testing centers during the holidays. Public health experts continue urging those that gathered in groups or traveled this week to get tested for COVID before returning to work.
As of 12:00 pm November 29, 2020, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 3,303 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 3,083 confirmed cases and 220 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 126,006 cases (PCR test), including 1,209 confirmed deaths. There is a cumulative total of 12,090 probable cases (antigen test), including 32 probable deaths.
The additional deaths being reported today include the following:
- A woman in her 40’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been hospitalized, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City Mesquite. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City Dallas. He had been hospitalized, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 90’s who was a resident of the City Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
17% Positivity Rate As Of 11/14
The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 46 has increased to 1,405, which is a rate of 53.3 daily new cases per 100,000 residents– the highest case rate in Dallas County since the beginning of the pandemic. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 has increased, with 17.0% of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals testing positive in week 46 (week ending 11/14/20).
A provisional total of 1,282 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-aged children (5 to 17 years) during CDC week 46, a three-fold increase from 5 weeks earlier (week ending 10/10/20). Since November 1, there have been 3,630 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and staff reported from over 632 separate K-12 schools in Dallas County, including 466 staff members. A total of 1,282 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-aged children (5 to 17 years) during CDC week 46 — which is 50% more than the number of cases in this age group reported during the second highest peak week of cases in July (Week 28). Since November 1, there have been 130 COVID-19 cases in children and staff reported from 97 separate daycares in Dallas County.
Long-Term Care Outbreaks
Over the past 30 days, there have been 818 COVID-19 cases reported from 90 separate long-term care facilities, including 309 staff members. This is the highest number of long-term care facilities with active outbreaks reported in Dallas County since the beginning of the pandemic. Of these cases, 48 have been hospitalized and 29 have died, including 2 deaths of staff members. Twenty active clusters of cases in congregate-living facilities (homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) have been reported in the past 30 days associated with 167 cases, including one facility this past week with 81 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
“Today we report 3,303 new cases and six deaths but keep in mind this is all COVID-19 positive cases reported Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. When you spread that out over the three days, it’s actually a lower number than we’ve been averaging for the last week and probably indicates less people getting tested as most testing facilities were closed Thursday and Friday. We’ll have more accurate numbers again on Tuesday and Wednesday and begin to see any effects from the Thanksgiving holiday by next Friday and into the weekend with a full realization of any uptick manifesting itself by the following weekend.
In the meantime, it’s important that we continue to look for things to be thankful for and keep our spirits up. Now is the time for patriotism and sacrifice for the greater good of your community, your state and your country. The smart decisions and unselfish decisions that you make may save lives that you don’t even know or may spare your family and loved ones heartache. So please everyone wear your mask, avoid crowds, and forgo those get-togethers until we can get these numbers under control, and beyond that, have a great Thanksgiving Sunday,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
