A day after Dallas County reported its lowest number of coronavirus-related deaths in a week since late April, health officials confirmed six more county residents have died from the novel coronavirus. At least 176 people have now died from the virus since tracking began in March.
Two of the victims had been critically ill in area hospitals and four of them had been residents at long-term care facilities. One of them was in his 30s, health officials said Sunday.
They include:
- An Irving man in his 30s
- A Richardson man in his 70s
- A Dallas man in his 80s who was a resident of the long-term care facility where he died
- A Mesquite man in his 90’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility
- A Dallas man in his 90’s who was a resident of the long-term care facility where he died
- A Dallas man in his 90’s who was a resident of the long-term care facility where he died
Officials also announced 205 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the official case count in Dallas County to 7,455.
"Our last three days of positive cases have been lower than in the previous 10 days and that is a good sign," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a statement Sunday. "Increasingly, it is up to all of you to determine the trajectory of where we go in this COVID-19 pandemic."
Health officials say of the 176 deaths reported to date, more than a third have been associated with long-term care facilities. However, two-thirds of those who have been hospitalized from the disease have been under the age of 65.
Tarrant County on Sunday reported 97 new cases and two more deaths, along with 213 current hospitalizations. County officials have now reported 123 deaths and 4,447 cases since tracking began in March.
Top updates for Sunday, May 17:
- The next wave of businesses in Texas will be allowed to reopen Monday. This is part of Gov. Greg Abbott's plan to reopen the Texas economy in various phases. Here's a list of what will be allowed to reopen May 18.
- A 74-year-old inmate at the Federal Medical Center prison in Fort Worth died on Friday from COVID-19, federal officials said. Officials with the Bureau of Prisons said Charles Hanberry had previously had long-term, pre-existing underlying conditions that made him more vulnerable to the disease.
- The superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District said he is 75% confident that students will physically go back to school in August. The final decision of plans for the fall term is expected to come in June.
For a daily roundup of the biggest coronavirus news from around North Texas, sign up for the WFAA COVID-19 email newsletter.
Broadmoor Medical Lodge reports another COVID-19 death
The Rockwall County Office of Emergency Management confirmed Sunday one more COVID-19 death has occurred at the Broadmoor Medical Lodge, bringing the total amount of deaths to eight.
The facility had the first reported nursing home death due to COVID-19 in Rockwall County in April, officials said. Since then, the facility has recorded 60 cases of COVID-19, including 39 residents (15 of whom have recovered) and 21 staff members (17 of whom have recovered).
Staff are administering another round of testing today and Monday on all residents and staff members, officials said in a news release.
Dallas County hospital capacity totals for Saturday, May 16, 2020
Dallas County health officials Sunday released an aggregate total for hospital beds in the county on Saturday.
They are as follows:
- Total beds: 5,713
- Beds occupied: 3,735
- Total ICU beds: 826
- ICU beds occupied: 562
- Total ventilators: 945
- Ventilators in use: 311
Agape Connect hosts food drive at Lone Star Park
Irving religious group Agape Connect handed out one to four boxes of food per vehicle during a food drive at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie Sunday. They expected to be able to serve 7,000 cars.
If you missed it and need food, there will be another food dive on May 19 at the same park from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The food drives are open to anyone. Food includes dry goods and fresh produce. No registration or identification is required. People can only pick up food via the drive-thru, no walk-ups are allowed.
Individuals requiring food assistance who cannot access a car can also use the Find Food tool on www.ntfb.org to find additional resources.
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.