This story will be updated throughout the day as new information is released.
Dallas County health officials reported 2,817 COVID-19 cases Friday, up from 1,993 on Thursday.
Among these new cases, 664 are considered probable because they came from antigen tests.
There have now been 203,897 total cases reported since tracking began in March.
Health officials also added 24 confirmed COVID-19 deaths. These include two Dallas men in their 40s, a Mesquite man in his 40s, a Mesquite man in his 50s, two Dallas women in their 50s, an Irving woman in her 50s, a Mesquite woman in her 60s, two Dallas women in their 60s, two Garland men in their 70s, a Dallas woman in her 70s, two Mesquite men in their 70s, a Mesquite woman in her 70s, an Irving man in his 70s, a Dallas man in his 70s, a Mesquite woman in her 80s, a Dallas man in his 80s and a Mesquite man in his 100s.
All had underlying high-risk health conditions.
A Balch Springs man in his 50s and a Dallas man in his 70s died who did have underlying high-risk health conditions.
A Dallas woman in her 80s with COVID-19 also died in an area hospital emergency department.
There are currently 1,140 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Dallas County hospitals. The record happened on Jan. 11 where there were 1,226 hospitalizations.
Tarrant County reports nearly 40 additional deaths from past two months
Tarrant County Public Health said they added 38 additional COVID-19 deaths to the county's total on Friday that happened in December and January.
The reason for the confirmed deaths from December is because the Texas Department of State Health Services has begun sharing with local health departments the death certificate information where the cause or other conditions listed indicate COVID-19.
State health leaders are now using that data to find additional deaths in Tarrant County.
County health officials reported 2,350 additional COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the county total to 187,863 since tracking began in March.
There are currently 1,488 hospitalized with COVID-19 in Tarrant County. This makes up 28% of the county's total hospital bed capacity.
Collin County has 19th straight day with more than 500 hospitalizations
Collin County health officials said there are currently 546 COVID-19 hospitalizations as of Friday.
Since Dec. 28, Collin County hospitals have had more than 500 hospitalizations every day. The record happened on Jan. 4 when there were 575 people hospitalized with COVID-19.
There were 288 new cases of COVID-19 in Collin County Friday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Denton County has six available ICU beds Friday
Denton County Public Health said there are currently six available ICU beds in the county's hospitals as of Friday, as 93.3% of all the ICU beds are currently occupied.
Patients with COVID-19 make up 59% of these patients in the ICU. That is a county record.
There are currently 208 patients in Denton County hospitals with COVID-19.
County health officials also reported 471 new COVID-19 cases Friday, down from the 539 cases reported Thursday.
There have now been a total count of 45,816 cases since tracking began in March.
County health officials also announced twelve COVID-19 deaths Friday. These include:
- A male over 80 who was a resident of Carrollton
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Atria Senior Living in Carrollton
- A male in his 70s who was a resident of Little Elm
- A male over 80 who was a resident of The Colony
- A male in his 70s who was a resident of Carrollton
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Carrollton
- A female in her 60s who was a resident of unincorporated southeast Denton County
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Mustang Creek Estates in Frisco
- A male over 80 who was a resident of Krum
- A male over 80 who was a resident of Avanti Senior Living in Flower Mound
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Corinth
- A female in her 60s who was a resident of Denton
There have now been 249 total reported COVID-19 deaths in Denton County.
Rep. Beckley isolating after close contact with infected colleague
Representative Michelle Beckley announced she will be isolating after coming into close contact with an infected colleague earlier this week on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives.
Beckley will also be tested for COVID-19. She said she was informed of the colleague's case after the member was tested Thursday afternoon after experiencing symptoms she said.
Beckley said she has only received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine and hopes she is not positive for coronavirus.
"My fears returning to the House Chamber and reasons for not attending Opening Day are being realized right now. I am currently immune-compromised and have only received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine. I can only hope that I have not been infected," she said.
In a written statement, Beckley said she was only sitting three feet apart from other members, which was not in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
Retired police lieutenant dies after battle with COVID-19
A retired Denton police lieutenant has died after complications from COVID-19, according to chief Frank Dixon.
Dixon tweeted the announcement of Lt. Lonnie Flemming's death Friday morning.
"Flemming served the community with honor for over 22 years. Godspeed sir, we don't forget you," Dixon said.
Wise County hospitals ICU beds near 100% capacity
Hospitals in Wise county have seen an increase in capacity during the last seven days and are reaching near capacity in terms of ICU beds, according to the Wise Health System.
The seven-day average for the county's ICU beds sits at 93 percent, which includes both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.
The daily average for in-house COVID-19 patients is 33, three more than last week.
COVID-19 hospitalizations were at 25.04 percent in Trauma Service Area E Tuesday before dropping slightly Wednesday to 24.45 percent.
There were only 59 ICU beds available in the entire region.
Van Zandt County reports nearly 300 cases in past three days
Van Zandt County reported 75 new COVID-19 cases Friday, which is the third-highest daily count since tracking began in March.
The record-high happened on Jan. 13 with 218 cases and the second-highest mark happened on Dec. 8 when there were 76 cases.
The 293 reported cases from the past three days make up 15% of the total reported cases in Van Zandt County since tracking began in March.
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