The Justice of the Peace moratorium on evictions ends at midnight in Dallas County, Judge Clay Jenkins tweeted Monday night.
The June 15 date was an extension from the previous May 18 date. Jenkins extended the moratorium date on May 21.
Jenkins tweeted out a copy of the ordinance, which you can find here in English and here in Spanish.
Top updates for Monday, June 15:
- A new poll has found that Black Americans are the most likely group to know a COVID-19 victim, the Associated Press reports.
- Tarrant County health officials shared how they're investigating the spread of COVID-19, and they're hiring dozens more people to do it.
- More than 45,500 residents and staff have died from coronavirus outbreaks at U.S. nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, the Associated Press found. That's about 40% of the more than 115,000 total deaths, while nursing home residents are less than 1% of the overall U.S. population.
Tarrant County jail reports 16 positive cases
The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office said Monday that out of 3,880 total inmates, 16 have currently tested positive for COVID-19 since tracking began in March. All positive inmates are in quarantine and are being treated by JPS medical staff.
One inmate has died from the virus, while 132 have recovered. Twelve members of the jail staff have tested positive.
Student athlete in Frisco tests positive
A Frisco Independent School District student athlete has tested positive for COVID-19, school officials said. The student had participated in strength and conditioning workouts at Lebanon High School.
The student had been exposed to the virus by a family member and got tested before showing any symptoms, a letter sent by school officials to families with students who had participated in the workouts said Sunday.
All students who were in the workout group with the student who tested positive will now need to self-isolate for two weeks and cannot attend any additional workouts in accordance with guidelines from UIL and the Texas Education Association, according to the letter.
All strength and conditioning and skills sessions will be suspended Monday to allow staff to clean and disinfect the high school's athletic facilities with "hospital-grade" products, per school officials.
Dallas County reports 305 new cases, 1 death
Dallas County health officials reported 305 new positive cases of COVID-19 and one additional death Monday, bringing the total case count in the county to 14,537 cases and 285 deaths.
The additional death reported today is a Dallas man in his 60s.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the new case count "fall in line for what we’ve seen for the last week or so."
SMU confirms staff member, student test positive for COVID-19
An employee and a student at Southern Methodist University tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Monday.
The employee, who works in the Blanton building, did not have close contact with any people while on campus, said Sherif A. Starkey, associate vice president and chief human resources officer, in a letter to faculty and staff.
The student works at the Fondren Library West and tested positive. They are now self-isolating. The university notified anyone who may have had direct contact with the student.
"SMU has taken appropriate steps to clean and sanitize the area in which the employee was located as well as public spaces in the building," the letter said.
Dallas County health department issues new guidelines for activities
Guidance for participating in public activities, such as bowling alleys, bars and mall food courts, was updated by the Dallas County Health and Human Services Monday.
Bars and bowling alleys
Going to a bar or bowling alley is not recommended.
Food courts at malls
People should avoid eating at food courts or group dining areas. Ordering food to-go and not sitting in the dining area is preferred, the department said.
"Look for frequent cleaning of high touch areas including tables, counters, etc." the department said. "Staff and customers should wear facial coverings."
Youth Sports
Youth sports are not recommended.
Health guidance
The county is in the red zone. In May, the department debuted the threat level map to indicate when it's safe to participate in activities at public places.
Red means stay home, if you can.
Orange means use extreme caution. You can dine out, but do so cautiously.
Yellow means proceed carefully. You can take a vacation or travel.
Green means the new normal until a vaccine is discovered and is widely available.
County Judge Clay Jenkins said that it's a guideline and not an order, but was designed by doctors.
Red Cross testing blood donations for COVID-19 antibodies
The American Red Cross will now test all blood, platelet and plasma donations for antibodies of the novel coronavirus, a spokesperson announced Monday.
The antibody test used by the Red Cross could find antibodies in a person's immune system, regardless of whether they had symptoms of the disease, the spokesperson said.
The Red Cross is experiencing an urgent need for blood and platelet donations as hospital demand has risen recently as surgeries and other treatments resume across the country.
It is important to note that a positive antibody test result does not confirm someone has had the disease nor that they are immune to it, according to a news release.
Samples taken during a donation for routine testing will be used for the antibody test as well, and results will be available to donors within seven to 10 days, Red Cross officials said.
The organization is not, however, testing donors to diagnose the disease.
To make an appointment to donate, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.
WFAA digital producer Jake Harris contributed to this report.
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:
- Economist says COVID will cause housing to flourish in suburbs, small towns
- Some airlines add pre-flight health questionnaire to COVID safety measures
- For the fourth time this week, Dallas County reports record-high in daily cases
- Suspect who wasn't wearing face mask assaulted employee after being asked to wait outside, police say