Dallas County health officials reported a record 413 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. It's the first time the county has reported more than 400 cases in a day.
The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office is also investigating the death of a 12-year-old, which may be COVID-19 related, according to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
Jenkins said 17 confirmed positive cases were reported over the last week from nine childcare centers. There were additional reports of associated illnesses in family members of affected children.
The county also reported on Wednesday nine additional deaths related to COVID-19, ranging from a Dallas man in his 40s to a Dallas woman who was a long-term care facility resident in her 90s.
The report brings the total to 15,256 cases in the county. The previous record for cases reported in a day was 345 cases on Saturday.
The latest report comes as new cases have been rising during the past two weeks and an increase in coronavirus hospitalizations in the region.
"Of more concern is the 40% increase we've seen in hospitalizations in Dallas County over the last two weeks," Jenkins tweeted. "If these percentage increases continue, many more people will get sick and die in the coming weeks."
As of Tuesday, 28% of all emergency room visits for COVID-19-like symptoms.
Of cases requiring hospitalization, more than two-thirds have been under 65 years of age, and about half do not have any high-risk chronic health conditions.
Child care facilities, gatherings
County health officials said 17 coronavirus cases were linked to nine child care facilities in the past week. Before that, only one day care center had been linked to a coronavirus case in the past two months.
Health officials also say that outbreaks have been linked to "multiple large social gatherings since the beginning of June" but did not say what those events were.
Officials did not say whether the 12-year-old whose death may be linked to COVID-19 was connected to any of these outbreaks.
