This story is from April 24. Click here to view the latest updates from April 25.
Four out of five deaths reported Friday occurred at long-term care facilities, Dallas County health officials announced.
The patients were ill at local hospitals before dying from complications related to COVID-19, officials said.
The victims are a man and woman in their 80s and two women in their 90s.
"Our new Parkland Mobile Testing unit performed 152 tests in one nursing home yesterday and is back out today," County Judge Clay Jenkins said.
In addition to those four victims, a man in his 70s who lived in Garland also died from the novel coronavirus. This brings the death toll to 77 in Dallas County.
Friday afternoon, health officials confirmed that 71 more residents in Dallas County have tested positive. This brings the total case count to 2,834.
“We must do all we can to protect our most vulnerable and push more testing into high uninsured neighborhoods where underlying health conditions are more prevalent,” Jenkins said.
Top updates for Friday, April 24:
- Under an executive order issued by Gov. Greg Abbott, non-essential businesses can resume sales under the "retail-to-go" program. This means stores are allowed to sell items that can then be picked up curbside or delivered.
- Three new COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites will open throughout North Texas. The locations are in Arlington, Dallas, and Fort Worth.
- Colleyville is set to become one of the first cities in Texas to let restaurants, salons, gyms and massage parlors re-open Friday.
Tarrant County reports 147 new cases, 3 additional deaths
Three more residents in Tarrant County have died from COVID-19, officials confirmed Friday afternoon. This brings the death toll to 48.
The victims include two men in their 60s and a man in his 80s. All three patients lived in Fort Worth, officials say.
“As this virus continues to take a toll on families across our county, we must remain vigilant and look to the future,” said Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja.
Tarrant County health officials also reported 147 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total case count to 1,706.
So far, 282 residents have recovered from the virus.
Dallas salon owner issued citation after reopening
Dallas police responded to Salon Á la Mode Friday morning after a crowd showed up to support the business reopening despite violating state and county orders.
Earlier this week, salon owner Shelley Luther told WFAA that she planned to reopen her doors and invite her stylists to come back to work Friday regardless of possible fines or jail time.
Luther was issued a citation Friday afternoon. She said there’s no dollar amount on it. She will need to see a judge.
She said she plans to stay open.
Luther has said she would reopen under strict guidelines. She said there would be sanitizing stations and that clients wouldn't be able to come in unless they had a mask.
Around 9 a.m. Friday, a crowd of people gathered outside to support the business.
Then about an hour later, Dallas police officers showed up and asked the crowd to practice social distancing.
36 inmates at Tarrant County Jail test positive
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Friday that 36 additional inmates have tested positive, bringing the total case count to 41.
Officials say last week the county had the first five inmates at the Tarrant County Jail receive positive test results for COVID-19.
According to county officials, the inmates are in quarantine, doing OK and being cared for by John Peter Smith Hospital staff.
TCSO also had two more jail team members test positive for the novel coronavirus this week, bringing the total to four.
Officials say the staff members are also quarantined and doing OK.
Two residents at McKinney living facility have died
Two residents at Oxford Grand Assisted Living & Memory Care have died from complications due to COVID-19, officials announced Friday.
An 85-year-old woman died Thursday evening and the 95-year-old woman died Friday morning. Both of the victims had underlying health conditions, according to Collin County health officials.
"Out of respect for their families, no further personal information will be released," health officials said in a news release.
So far, a total of 16 people have died from the novel coronavirus in Collin County.
As of Friday morning, there are 609 confirmed cases and 429 people have recovered from the virus, county health officials say.
Health experts recommend taking the following actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Practice "social distancing" and stay at least 6 feet away from others and avoid large public gatherings
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
- Consult CDC’s travel website for any travel advisories and steps to protect yourself if you plan to travel outside of the U.S.
More on WFAA:
- Believers prepare to observe Ramadan amid stay-at-home orders in North Texas
- Texas Workforce Commission executive director answers questions concerning benefits, process
- Traveling circus stranded in Grand Prairie thanks to COVID-19
- Even with city permission, reopening salons could bring fines and jail time for violating executive order
- Pilot will allow Texas SNAP recipients to order groceries online by May 18