DALLAS — Dallas County Health and Human Services reports 589 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County for a cumulative total of 88,372 confirmed cases (PCR test), including 1,059 confirmed deaths. There are 52 additional probable cases (antigen test) to report today for a total of 4,476 probable cases including 13 probable deaths.
Of the 537 new confirmed cases we are reporting today, 324 came through the Texas Department of State Health Services’ (DSHS) electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) system, and 8 are from older months.
The additional death being reported today includes the following:
- 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 had underlying high risk health conditions.
The provisional 7-day average daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 40 was 374, an increase from the previous daily average of 346 for CDC week 37. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 remains high with 10.0% of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals testing positive in week 40 (week ending 10/3/20). A provisional total of 283 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-aged children (5 to 17 years) during CDC week 40, an increase from the previous week in this age group.
There were 376 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Wednesday, October 14. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 472 for the 24 hour period ending on Wednesday, October 14, 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.
“Today we’re reporting a total of 589 cases, 581 of which are new, including 52 positive antigen tests which are coded as ‘probable.’ For ease of understanding the numbers, antigen tests are coded as probable and PCR tests are coded as confirmed. Please note that we have moved back into the ‘Red’ in our color-coded chart/COVID-19 risk for extreme caution and staying safe and staying home whenever possible.
It’s critical with the uptick and the increases that we’ve seen in our hospitals, including a doubling of COVID-19 cases in hospitals over the last month for our region, that we all make good choices to turn the tide and get our numbers going in a good direction again. We are on the beginning of a second wave of COVID-19 cases if we do not modify behavior, and with talk of bars opening and increased capacity in other commercial buildings, there is a false sense of security. Given that our numbers are going in the wrong direction, we must turn things around now.
Wear your mask, maintain six-foot distance, wash your hands and avoid large crowds. For a complete list of recommendations under ‘Red’ on the color-coded chart, go to www.DallasCountyCOVID.org. It’s up to all of us to flatten the curve and we must do that now, during a time when our weather is pleasant. If we are at a high number going into the cold months of winter when everyone is indoors, we will have a very bad winter and spring for COVID-19,” 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 Guidance for Individuals at High-Risk for Severe COVID-19
