Dallas County Health and Human Services reported three deaths and 1,640 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, Dec 2.  The county reported 1,221 total deaths to date. The total confirmed cases are 129,193.

The county is also reporting a total of 12,424 probable cases and 36 probable deaths.

The additional deaths today include:

A woman in her 40’s who was a resident of the City of Lancaster. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.

A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the City of Duncanville. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have any underlying high risk health conditions.

A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high risk health conditions.

The city of Sachse reported 12 new COVID-19 positive cases today, bringing their total to 757 positive cases. In Dallas County these include a 44, 52, 52, 59, 75 and 77-year-old females and 32, 51, 57-year-old males. Collin County positive cases include 46 and 60-year-old females and a 16-year-old male.

The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 47 has increased to 1,347, which is a rate of 51.1 daily new cases per 100,000 residents—the highest case rate in Dallas County since the beginning of the pandemic. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 has increased, with 17.3% of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals testing positive in week 47 (week ending 11/21/20).

Since November 1, there have been 4,907 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and staff reported from over 704 separate K-12 schools in Dallas County, including 550 staff members. A total of 1,157 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-aged children (5 to 17 years) during CDC week 47 — which is 50% more than the number of cases in this age group reported during the highest week of cases during July (Week 28). Thirteen K-12 schools in Dallas County have initiated temporary closures of their campuses to in-person instruction for this week due to COVID-19 cases. Since November 1, there have been over 134 COVID-19 cases in children and staff reported from 101 separate daycares in Dallas County.

There are currently 95 active long-term care facility outbreaks. Over the past 30 days, there have been over 798 COVID-19 cases reported in these facilities, including 309 staff members. This is the highest number of long-term care facilities with active outbreaks reported in Dallas County since the beginning of the pandemic. Of these cases, 44 have been hospitalized and 27 have died, including 2 deaths of staff members. Twenty-two cases in congregate-living facilities (homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) have been reported in the past 30 days associated with 168 cases, including one facility this past week with 87 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Of all confirmed cases requiring hospitalization to date, more than two-thirds have been under 65 years of age. Diabetes has been an underlying high-risk health condition reported in about a third of all hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Of the total confirmed deaths reported to date, about 23% have been associated with long-term care facilities.

Local health experts use hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ER visits as three of the key indicators as part of determining the COVID-19 Risk Level (color-coded risk) and corresponding guidelines for activities during our COVID-19 response. There were 800 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Tuesday, December 1. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 575 for the same time period, which represents around 21 percent of all emergency department visits in the county according to information reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council.

“Today we have 1,640 new COVID cases and three deaths. The numbers that we have today should be accurate numbers as all reporting agencies are back online with regular reporting after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. 

Dr. Birx, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, issued a November 22 report, sent to the Governor, discussing the importance of limiting crowd size and testing. We need not wait for action at the state level. We can all make a decision to limit our exposures now by avoiding in-home get-togethers, masking whenever around people outside of our home, and forgoing crowded experiences. We must stop looking at our neighbors with contempt for their perceived shortcomings in keeping our community safe, and instead focus on what we can do to get a little bit better as we all renew our strength towards shared sacrifice and patriotism. This will make our community and country stronger for a little while longer as we await the broad dissemination of a vaccine. Forgoing restaurant dining in lieu of take-out, delivery or uncrowded patio dining, forgoing indoor workouts and taking your exercise outside, and utilizing curbside pickup in lieu of shopping in a crowded grocery store, are all ways that we can get a little safer not just for ourselves but for people that we don’t even know.

Dr. Birx also mentioned testing which is very important. It is recommended by Dr. Birx and others that if you have been around crowds last week, that you get tested and there are ample opportunities for testing in Dallas County. The County offers free testing at several drive-through and walk up locations. A comprehensive list of public and private testing locations can be found at www.DallasCountyCOVID.org. Please also check that site for the latest recommendations from local doctors and everyone work towards getting just a little bit safer as we work together to protect one another this holiday season,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

From Staff Reports • [email protected]