DALLAS — As of 12:00 pm December 8, 2020, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 1,105 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 860 confirmed cases and 245 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 137,143 cases (PCR test), including 1,245 confirmed deaths. There is a cumulative total of 13,797 probable cases (antigen test), including 39 probable deaths.
The additional deaths being reported today include the following:
- A man in his 20’s who was a resident of the City of Irving. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 40’s who was a resident of the City DeSoto. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 50’s who was a resident of the City Dallas. She 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 Grand Prairie. He had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the City Dallas. She had been hospitalized, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City Grand Prairie. She had been critically ill in an area hospital, and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City Garland. She had been critically ill in an area hospital, 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.
The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 48 was to 1,069, which is a rate of 40.6 daily new cases per 100,000 residents. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 has increased, with 22.3% of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals testing positive in week 48 (week ending 11/28/20).
Since November 1, there have been 5,320 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and staff reported from over 770 separate K-12 schools in Dallas County, including 849 staff members. Thirteen K-12 schools in Dallas County initiated temporary closures of their campuses to in-person instruction this past week due to COVID-19.
There were 766 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Monday, December 7. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 428 for the same time period, which represents around 20 percent of all emergency department visits in the county according to information reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council. Our hospitals are seeing record numbers of patients and remain concerned about additional increases related to the holiday season and related activities.
On December 3, Trauma Service Area E (TSA E), which includes Dallas County and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, reached seven consecutive days where the percentage of COVID-19 confirmed patients in regional hospitals, as a percentage of available hospital beds, exceeded 15 percent. According to Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-32 (GA-32), this makes TSA E an area with high hospitalizations and certain occupancy reductions are automatically triggered by reaching this threshold.
“Today we had another 1,105 COVID positive cases and eight deaths, ranging from a man in his 20’s to a man in his 90’s. The weather will be nice the next few days and I hope that everyone will be able to get outside and exercise at a six-foot distance. Remember that when you’re not at home and inside any building, including your own office building, doctors strongly recommend that you be masked for the duration of the time that you’re in the building.
Also, remember that to the extent possible, all workers should try to telecommute during this time of high community spread. Meetings with individuals outside your own home should be put off until the numbers are more in control, but should meetings occur, outdoor meetings are preferable to indoor ones. Now is a time for community sacrifice and patriotism as we work to keep not only ourselves safe but also people that we don’t even know. That’s what patriotism and making America strong is all about. I hope that you are having and will continue to have a safe and happy holiday season,” 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
