Dallas County health officials have reported 10 additional coronavirus-related deaths, including a man in his 60s who was found dead in his home.
Officials also announced there are 469 new cases of the disease, a new record-high of daily cases in the county.
Judge Clay Jenkins first announced the numbers on a conference call Friday morning.
The previous record was reported on Monday with 454 confirmed cases.
As of Friday, both Dallas and Tarrant Counties have mandated face-covering orders in efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The new face mask order will go into effect at 6 p.m. in Tarrant County. The mandate comes just one day after county officials announced a record-high number of 517 cases.
"We tried voluntary compliance, but, folks, we just weren’t seeing it. We need your help; we need you to follow these orders; we need you to mask up,” Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said at a Thursday morning news conference.
The order is in effect until Aug. 3, and it requires anyone entering a business or outdoor event of more than 100 people to wear a mask.
Shortly after the mandate was issued, one city said it won’t be enforcing it. The City of Colleyville released a statement on Facebook that partially reads:
“The City of Colleyville will not adopt any formal action enacting this measure nor provide enforcement. Questions regarding the regulation should be directed to Tarrant County.”
In addition to mask mandates issued in Dallas and Tarrant Counties, there has been a "pause" in the reopening of Texas.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Friday morning requiring bars to shut down and restaurants to scaleback dining.
According to Texas Department of Health and Human Services, there are 4,739 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 as of 4 p.m. Thursday.
“At some point, we are all going to run out of room – not just my hospital – everyone’s. That’s the message that’s got to get out there. Folks have got to help us out,” said Dr. Joseph Chang, chief medical officer of Parkland Hospital in Dallas.
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Tarrant County reports 4 additional deaths
Tarrant County health officials reported 343 new coronavirus cases on Friday, a drop from the record high of 517 reported Thursday.
The county also reported four additional deaths but did not release detailed information on the people who had died from COVID-19.
There have been 10,706 cases of the coronavirus tallied since tracking began in March in Tarrant County.
Health officials have reported 222 people in the county have died from COVID-19.
Collin County reports 41 new cases
Collin County health officials reported 41 new cases of COVID-19 Friday. This brings the countywide total to 2,532.
There have been 41 deaths and 1,954 recoveries since tracking began in March.
Dallas County reports 10 additional deaths
Dallas County health officials reported a record 496 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the countywide total to 19,034 since tracking began in March.
There were also 10 additional deaths reported. There have been 344 deaths in the county due to COVID-19, according to health officials.
The latest deaths include:
- An Irving resident in his 50s, who had been sick in a hospital.
- A Garland resident in her 50s, who had been critically ill in a hospital.
- An Irving resident in his 60s, who had been hospitalized.
- A Mesquite resident in his 60s, who had been a resident of a long-term care facility.
- A Dallas resident in his 60s, who was found dead at home.
- A Garland resident in his 70s, who had been hospitalized.
- Two Dallas residents in their 80s. Both men had been critically ill and hospitalized.
- A Duncanville resident in her 80s, who had been a resident of a long-term care facility.
- A Farmers Branch resident in his 80s, who had been hospitalized.
Catholic Diocese of Dallas says individual parishes to decide on in-person mass
The Catholic Diocese of Dallas announced weeks ago that Sunday masses could resume in person this weekend, but Bishop Edward Burns announced Friday that the decision will be left to individual parishes.
"The decision to resume Sunday masses was made weeks ago before the spike and warnings that have come as a result of the coronavirus statistics that we are seeing at this time," Burns said in a written statement.
The bishop said that the pastors of the parishes will be allowed to decide whether to host in-person mass. The Diocese has parishes in nine counties, Burns said.
"The pastors are in a better position to individually decide what is best for their parishioners and for their parish communities," Burns said.
Bars, rafting and tubing businesses must close under Gov. Abbott's latest order
Gov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order that requires bars and similar establishments that receive 51% of their gross receipts from alcohol sales to close at 12 p.m. Friday.
The measure also requires restaurants to reduce occupancy to 50% on Monday.
The order comes just one day after Abbott announced a pause of further reopening phases in the state due "to the recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations."
n addition to the latest restrictions, rafting, and tubing businesses in the state must close and any outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people must be approved by the local government officials.
Fort Worth-based American Airlines to resume full-capacity flights July 1
American Airlines will start booking flights to full capacity next Wednesday.
Starting Tuesday, the Fort Worth-based airline will ask customers during check-in to "certify they have been free of COVID-19 symptoms for the past 14 days." Customers will go through a checklist of potential symptoms that was created in partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
American said Friday that it will continue to notify customers of full flights and let them change flights at no cost. The airline said in a release that they will provide flexibility for tickets booked through Sept. 30.
City of Garland temporarily closes Windsurf Bay Park
The City of Garland has decided to temporarily close Windsurf Bay Park due to safety concerns over COVID-19.
The announcement was made Friday morning on Twitter. City officials say law enforcement is unable to patrol large crowds at the park at all times.
A reopening date has not been released at this time.
More on WFAA:
- Parkland chief medical officer warns North Texas hospitals will run out of room without attitude shift
- City of Colleyville announces it will not enforce Tarrant County mask order
- North Texas family shaken after 18 relatives test positive for COVID-19 following family gathering
- Fort Worth city councilman shares he's tested positive for COVID-19
- Tarrant County reports 517 new coronavirus cases, Dallas County reports 403