Dallas County health officials reported there are currently a record-high 1,166 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county's hospitals. This is the fourth day in a row the county has set a new record.
Over the past 14 days, Dallas County is averaging 1,021 people hospitalized with COVID-19. This is the first time the 14-day average has ever been above 1,000.
County health officials also reported 2,590 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, which include 383 probable cases the result of antigen tests.
This gives Dallas County 186,181 total cases since tracking began in March.
There were 20 new deaths reported Thursday.
These include a Mesquite woman in her 40s, a Dallas man in his 40s, a Dallas woman in her 50s, two Dallas women in their 60s, two Mesquite men in their 60s, a Blach Springs man in his 60s, a Seagoville woman in her 70s, a Mesquite man in his 70s, a Dallas man in his 70s, a Desoto woman in her 70s, two Farmers Branch men in their 70s, a Dallas man in his 80s, a Mesquite man in his 80s and two Dallas women in their 80s.
A Dallas man in his 30s, a Dallas man in his 50s and a Garland man in his 60s who did not have underlying high-risk health conditions also died.
There have now been 1,735 confirmed COVID-19 deaths since the first reported death in March.
In a Tweet, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says January and February are modeled to be the county's worst months for COVID-19 positive cases and deaths.
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Texas reports more new cases Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday than any other three-day period
Texas had 19,598 new reported COVID-19 cases Thursday, according to the Texas State Department of State Health Services.
The past three days, state health officials have reported 65,676 new cases, which is the most of any three-day period since the state started tracking in March.
Texas also set another record-high for COVID-19 hospitalizations with 13,784 as of Thursday, state officials say. This is the fifth day in a row a new state record has been set.
Tarrant County adds nearly 6,000 new cases last two days
Tarrant County Public Health reported 2,444 new COVID-19 cases Thursday. The county had 3,410 cases Wednesday.
Tarrant County has 167,732 total cases of COVID-19 since tracking began in March, the third most of any Texas county.
County health officials also reported there are currently 1,528 people hospitalized with COVID-19, marking the first time there have been more than 1,500 in Tarrant County.
Thursday's hospitalizations make up 30% of the total bed capacity in the county's hospitals.
Tarrant County Public Health reported 15 new COVID-19 deaths Thursday. These include three Fort Worth men in their 30s, 40s and 60s, an Arlington man in his 60s, a Keller man in his 60s, three Fort Worth men in their 70s, an Arlington woman in her 70s, a Euless man in his 70s, a Crowley woman in her 70s, a North Richland Hills woman in her 80s, a Bedford woman in her 80s, a North Richland Hills man in his 90s and Fort Worth woman in her 90s.
All but two had underlying health conditions.
Tarrant County now has 1,576 confirmed deaths since the first reported death in March.
Collin County has 11th straight day with more than 500 hospitalizations
Collin County health officials reported that there are 551 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, up from 546 hospitalizations Wednesday. The record-high happened on Jan. 4 when there were 575 people in Collin County's hospitals with the novel coronavirus.
Thursday's total makes up 20% of the total bed capacity in the county's hospitals.
Collin County has had more than 500 COVID-19 hospitalizations every day since Dec. 28.
There were 637 new COVID-19 cases in Collin County Thursday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. There have been 48,488 total cases in the county since tracking began in March.
Denton County has second straight day with more than 600 cases
Denton County Public Health reported 690 additional COVID-19 cases Thursday. This comes after there were 647 reported cases Wednesday.
County health officials also added four new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total to 228 since the first reported death in March.
Those new deaths included:
- A male in his 70s who was a resident of Lewisville
- A male in his 40s who was a resident of Lewisville
- A male over 80 who was a resident of Corinth
- A male over 80 who was a resident of Carriage House of Denton
Denton County Public Health also reported there are currently 225 people hospitalized with COVID-19, which is a new county record.
The previous record-high happened Monday when there were 224 hospitalizations.
This is the third straight day there have been fewer than 10 ICU beds available in Denton County hospitals, according to local officials. There are eight beds available with 92% currently occupied.
COVID-19 patients make up 36% of the county's total ICU bed capacity.
Johnson County has seen more than 50% of its total reported cases in last month and a half
Johnson County had 156 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The county had a single-day record of 546 cases Tuesday and 410 cases Wednesday.
Since Nov. 24, state health officials have reported 6,142 new cases in Johnson County. That makes up 56% of the county's 10,984 total cases since tracking began in March.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson gets COVID-19 vaccine shot
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine shot Thursday at the UT Southwestern Medical Center.
In a Tweet, Johnson said, "The vaccines are safe, effective, and will allow us to return to normal. I’m urging all people in our communities to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible and able. When your opportunity comes, don’t wait."
WWII veteran fighting COVID-19 in hospital gets support from family
World War II veteran Richard “Tex” Stanley is 98 years old and currently fighting COVID-19 in a Fort Worth hospital.
Family members, caretakers and the Fort Worth Fire Department gathered outside his hospital window Thursday morning to show their support. Some of the signs people held read messages such as "You're my hero Tex!" and "We love you Tex," the hospital said.
Stanley also received a video call from Helena Patton, who is the granddaughter of General George S. Patton, who was general of the United States Army during World War II, according to a statement from the hospital.