Fourth Day In A Row Dallas County Reports Record Hospitalizations

2,590 New COVID Cases, 20 Deaths

Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 2,590 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 2,207 confirmed cases and 383 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 186,181 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 23,211 probable cases (antigen test). A total of 1,735 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness.

There were 1,166 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Wednesday, January 6. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 592 for the same time-period, which represents around 22 percent of all emergency department visits in the county.

This is the fourth day in a row with record high numbers. This growth is pushing hospitals into surge planning models, standing up additional COVID units and repurposing space to care for patients. ICU capacity across the county remains close to single digits, these beds are critical to provide high-level care to many types of patients. We are seeing concerning situations across the country, similar to New York City in the spring.

Twenty additional deaths being reported today include the following:

• A man in his 30’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.
• A woman in her 40’s who was a resident of the city of Mesquite. She expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high risk health conditions.
• A man in his 40’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 of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 50’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the city of 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 of Garland. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the city of Dallas. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high risk conditions.
• A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the city of Mesquite. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the city of Balch Springs. 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 of Mesquite. 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 of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk conditions.
• A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the city of Seagoville. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high risk health conditions.
• A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the city of Mesquite. He 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 a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas. He 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 of Desoto. 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 Farmers Branch. 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 of Dallas. He expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high risk conditions.
• A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the city of Mesquite. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the city of Dallas. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 80’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.

“Today we add 2,590 new COVID positive cases and 20 deaths to our count. One notable death today is a man in his 30’s who had been ill in an area hospital with COVID but had no underlying high-risk health conditions. This is a somber reminder that COVID can strike everyone and can cause grave illness and potentially death to anyone.

January and February are modeled to be our worst months for COVID positive cases and deaths assuming that the population continues to make good choices and avoid crowds throughout that time and in the following months. If we’ll do that, we’ll begin to see the benefits of the people who have been vaccinated thus far, both in the capacity of our healthcare heroes to be at work and not be sick with COVID and with our most at risk residents being protected from COVID. We’ll continue to improve and get back to our pre-COVID activities, but it takes all of us making good, smart decisions to make that happen by wearing your mask, washing your hands and avoiding crowds.

We are working feverishly to get the sites open that will increase vaccination to our 1B population next week. It will be an effort led by Dallas County but with the help of EMTs from all of our cities. The shots are by appointment only and those who come without an appointment will be turned away. The only persons who will receive those appointments are people who sign up on the Dallas County registration website.

Once you have signed up, you need not do anything else to be on the Dallas County list and you may not hear from us for some time as the list is worked based on the doctors’ calculations of the persons on the 1A and 1B list that are most vulnerable to a bad outcome should they get COVID. At this current point for vaccinations, the key is to be both patient and diligent. Patient in understanding that there’s not enough vaccine to vaccinate everyone immediately but diligent in making sure you sign up for the registration list and any other list that you may be entitled to be a part of such as with your healthcare provider,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.