DALLAS, Texas — Members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council and the Dallas County Medical Society are paying close attention to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations statewide because they could possibly impact bed availability in D-FW.
On Friday, the state reported 6,070 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. That number hasn't been that high since hospitalizations went over 6,000 in mid-August.
In Dallas County, total cases surpassed 100,000, as 1,269 cases were reported Friday.
It's the highest number of cases that the county has reported since July, when infections began to surge in the area.
RELATED: COVID-19 updates: Dallas County reports 1,269 new positive cases — highest count since July
Tarrant County reported 952 coronavirus cases Friday. It was the 2nd straight day the county tallied an excess of 900 cases.
The outbreak in El Paso is aiding in the state's growing hospitalizations. It's averaging about 1,500 cases a day this past week.
In Amarillo, Dr. Brian Weis detailed a COVID-19 community outbreak to WFAA. Weis is the chief medical officer for Northwest Texas Hospital.
"This is a community-wide surge in West Texas," Weis said. "For us, it's coming back with a vengeance."
Weis told WFAA last week that beds are scarce in his region, adding that his hospital had to turn away patients at one point.
"We physically do not have rooms and beds anymore for patients," Weis said.
Because of that, rural hospitals nearby with low bed capacity began transporting patients to other hospitals around the state and afar.
"We heard stories of some of these regional facilities sending patients to Arkansas and Amarillo," said Weis.
Denise Treadwell, the president of Air Med Response, is transporting patients with COVID-19 out of El Paso to hospitals in Waco and San Antonio to alleviate overcrowding.
"When you have a healthcare crisis like this it's very different for us," said Treadwell.
Her company often assists FEMA with natural disaster relief.
"This is something that we've never experienced before in history," she said.
The hospital overcrowding is being watched by the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, which works with medical facilities across 18 counties on COVID-19 response.
At least four patients from the El Paso area had been transported to North Texas hospitals as of Thursday per CEO Stephen Love.
Love told WFAA that most times patients are kept as geographically close as possible to their homes.
However, if a major city like Austin or Houston were to have an outbreak Love said there's no doubt it would look to Dallas for aid.
The amount of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the D-FW area sits at 1,524.
That's not at a critical level but a fast-moving outbreak in another area could impact that number.
Not to mention, Love said that D-FW's numbers are rising without having to accept patients from other regions.
"We're running about 72% to 73% of patients for COVID-19 when we were at the high point in the middle of July," said Love. "Incrementally, we're increasing a little bit every day."
Dr. Mark Casanova echoed the same concerns. He serves as president of the Dallas County Medical Society.
"If surrounding areas are not doing as well or as good of a job containing the virus, then you can still see that protected area impacted by hospital admissions and transfer of patients," said Casanova.
"Another way to think about it is that of a pump that has been primed or adding kerosene to a campfire," he continued.
Casanova said it's best to heed the struggles of El Paso and Amarillo by keeping cases down in our area.