Dallas County Reports 32% Increase In COVID-19 In Kids 5-17

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647 Additional COVID-19 Cases, 3 New Deaths

DALLAS — As of 3:00 pm October 17, 2020, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 647 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County for a cumulative total of 89,433 confirmed cases (PCR test), including 1,082 confirmed deaths.

There are 48 additional probable cases (antigen test) to report today for a total of 4,542 probable cases including 13 probable deaths. Of the 599 new confirmed cases we are reporting today, 460 came through the Texas Department of State Health Services’ (DSHS) electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) system, and six are from older months.

Month

# of positive patients

June

3

July

3

October

454

The additional 3 deaths being reported today include the following:

  • A man in his 30’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He expired in area hospital ED, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 40’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.

COVID-19 Cases In Children Ages 5-17 Increased By 32%

The provisional 7-day average daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 41 was 453, an increase from the previous daily average of 383 for CDC week 40. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 has increased to 12.6% of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals testing positive in week 41 (week ending 10/10/20). A provisional total of 390 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-aged children (5 to 17 years) during CDC week 41, an increase of 32% from the previous week in this age group.

Local health experts use hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ER visits as three of the key indicators as part of determining the COVID-19 Risk Level (color-coded risk) and corresponding guidelines for activities during our COVID-19 response. There were 370 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Friday, October 16. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 437 for the 24 hour period ending on Friday, October 16, which represents around 18 percent of all emergency department visits in the county according to information reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council.

Positivity Rate Has Increased From 10%  to 12.6%

“Our number of COVID-19 positive cases continues to rise and today we have 647 total cases, 48 of which were antigen tests and the rest were PCR confirmed tests. Additionally, we have three deaths, including a man in his 30’s, a woman in her 40’s, and a man in his 70’s. Included today is a chart from the last five CDC weeks which shows an increase from week 37 when we averaged 266 new cases a day to the last week ending October 10, when our average was 453 cases a day. Our positivity rate for the tests that are being performed has jumped from below 10% to 12.6%. Note that the latest CDC week that we have ended seven days ago and that our daily numbers this week have mostly been higher than 453, as they are today.

CDC DALLAS County Chart

It’s very important that we reverse this trend in increasing infection rates for COVID-19. To do that, we need everyone to recommit themselves to doing the things that keep our community safe: wear a mask, maintain six-foot distance, wash your hands, and avoid unnecessary crowds and get-togethers with people outside your home.

We know what to do and we know what works. We’ve been through it before. We just need to do it and we need to start doing it immediately. The fight against COVID-19 will last a little longer and it’s up to all of us to stay in the fight and not lose our resolve to keep our families, our community and our economy safe,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

All Dallas County COVID-19 Updates and Information can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/ and all guidance documents can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/guidance-health.php

Specific Guidance for the Public:

·       Dallas County COVID-19 Related Health Guidance for the Public

·       Dallas County Measures for Protecting An Institution’s Workforce from COVID-19 Infection: Employer/Employee Guidance

·       Dallas County Guidance for Individuals at High-Risk for Severe COVID-19