This story is from May 7. To view the latest updates from May 8, click here.
Thursday marks the second-highest day of cases reported in Tarrant County. The county now has 2,956 positive cases of COVID-19.
The day with the highest cases reported for Tarrant County was April 25 with 147 positive cases.
There were 143 new cases of COVID-19 reported Thursday in Tarrant County and two additional deaths, health officials said.
The two deaths were men in their 50s and 60s, one of whom had an underlying health condition. Tarrant County now has 90 confirmed deaths. There have been 682 recoveries.
Top updates for Thursday, May 7:
- As of Wednesday, Dallas and Tarrant County now have more than 200 deaths combined related to COVID-19.
- 3.2 million people have applied for unemployment this week, raising the total layoffs since the coronavirus struck to 33 million.
- More businesses will reopen in Texas at the end of this week. Gov. Greg Abbott announced that hair salons, barbershops, tanning salons and nail salons can reopen Friday.
- A Dallas salon owner who continued offering services despite a citation, cease-and-desist letter, and a restraining order was sentenced to seven days in jail. The Texas Supreme Court ordered her release Thursday.
- Neiman Marcus has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, becoming the first department store to do so amid the COVID-19 pandemic that forced most businesses across the country to close down.
Additonal testing site to open at Dallas Walmart
Walmart announced Thursday its opening an additional COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in Dallas.
The testing site is set to open at 7 a.m. Friday in the parking lot of the location at 9410 Webb Chapel Road. It will be operational until 9 a.m. – weather permitting.
After Friday’s launch, the site is scheduled to be open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays weekly.
Walmart says priority will be given to those in high risk groups, which includes first responders and health care providers. Those interested in being tested are asked to visit www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com.
2 additional deaths in Collin County
Two elderly Collin County residents who had COVID-19 have died, health officials said Thursday.
An 86-year-old McKinney woman died Thursday morning at the Oxford Grand Assisted Living & Memory Care facility, marking the facility’s 12th death related to COVID-19. The woman had underlying medical conditions.
A 75-year-old Plano man died at a local hospital Wednesday. Of the 24 COVID-19 deaths reported to the county, all but three have been over age 65.
Denton County reports additional death, 26 new cases
Officials reported 26 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total cases to 872 and recoveries to 421.
County officials also reported one additional death, bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 23. The Little Elm man was in his 70s, was a previously reported hospitalized COVID-19 case in Denton County.
Texas economic activity sharply falls in wake of COVID-19
Layoffs and plunging consumer confidence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are contributing to economic distress in Texas, The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said Thursday.
The economic distress has sent the Texas economy into a tailspin, the bank said.
“COVID-19 containment measures have led to unprecedented declines in demand and triggered mass layoffs across the state,” said Dallas Fed senior business economist Laila Assanie in a video accompanying the report. “A record 1.6 million Texans filed for unemployment insurance from mid-March through late April, amounting to 11.5 percent of the workforce.”
Consumer confidence in Texas plunged in April to its lowest level in seven years, the bank said.
“Texas will likely underperform the U.S. this year, in part due to the downturn in energy,” Assanie said. “Employment will fall sharply through mid-year, rebound in the second half of 2020 and end the year down 7.6 percent on a December-over-December basis. This is the first contraction in the Texas economy since 2009.”
Fort Worth launches initiative focused on economic recovery
The City of Fort Worth hopes to restore local businesses and economic growth impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with a new initiative for economic recovery.
Mayor Betsy Price is expected to announce the initiative, called Fort Worth Now, Thursday afternoon. The task force will lead the city's post-COVID response to stabilize and restore local businesses while targeting growth sectors to equitably advance the city's economy, the city said in a statement.
The public-private partnership of the initiative will be comprised of businesses and community leaders who will "spearhead the next year of economic recovery and growth initiatives."
American Airlines customers required to wear masks
American Airlines will require face coverings for customers on May 11. Face coverings will be required for all team members beginning May 8. Flight attendants were required to wear them starting on May 1.
Person in their 20s is Rockwall County's newest case of COVID-19
Rockwall health officials announced an additional positive case of COVID-19 on Thursday. The person is from Royse City and is in their 20s.
The county has 106 positive cases.
Dallas County Community College District to continue online learning in fall
Classes will continue online in the fall to protect students at the Dallas County Community College District, the district announced Thursday.
"After making a successful transition to online learning in March at the outset of the pandemic, the district has decided that the most prudent path forward is to continue delivering instruction primarily by virtual means, until the threat of contracting COVID-19 from community spread is lessened," district officials said in a statement.
Some colleges in North Texas will return to classes in-person in the fall, but DCCCD says the district does not have the physical space to meet the social distancing requirements for the size of its student population. For context, a total of 160,000 students attend DCCCD colleges.
Kohl’s to reopen Texas stores on May 11
Kohl’s announced Thursday that they will reopen stores Monday with limited store hours, social distancing measures, and numerous cleaning and sanitization measures, as well as wellness and temperature checks, safety training and the use of masks and gloves for associates. Go here for more information.
Kohl’s has reduced operating hours and will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice.
Kohl’s is offering dedicated shopping hours for at-risk individuals including seniors, those who are pregnant or have underlying health conditions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Hospital capacity numbers released
The city of Dallas released its hospital capacity numbers on Thursday, which includes capacity from 25 hospitals.
Total beds: 5,712
Beds occupied: 3,566
Total ICU beds: 827
ICU beds occupied: 538
Total ventilators: 947
Ventilators in use: 345
