Dallas County Health and Human Services reported three deaths and 2,122 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, Dec 3.  The county reported 1,224 total deaths to date. The total confirmed cases are 130,830.

The county is also reporting a total of 12,909 probable cases and 36 probable deaths.

The additional deaths today include:

A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.

A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.

A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.

The city of Sachse reported 9 new COVID-19 positive cases today, bringing their total to 766 positive cases. In Dallas County these include a 46 and 51-year-old females and 25, 43, 52 and 58-year-old males. Collin County positive cases include 46 and 50-year-old females and a 64-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. New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with a more detailed summary report updated Tuesdays and Fridays.

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 813 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Wednesday, December 2. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 520 for the same time period, which represents around 22 percent of all emergency department visits in the county according to information reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council.

“Today we announced 2122 new COVID infections and three deaths. This is the second highest number of new COVID infections we have seen thus far. It’s a strong reminder that now is the time for shared sacrifice and patriotism in forgoing the few things that doctors tell us are not safe and instead focusing on thankfulness for all the things we still can do in this time of increased spread while looking forward to getting back to our pre- COVID activities after the vaccine has been broadly distributed in the next few months.

 I anticipate that we will be giving the vaccine to healthcare workers and the nursing home population later this month and so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. However, we are not there yet and it is imperative that we all do what we can do to get a little bit safer for ourselves, our community and our country until the vaccine can have its effect. Rather than looking at your neighbor and judging them for their perceived shortcomings, each of us should look at ourselves and our sphere of influence and ask what we can do to be just a little bit safer and a little bit less likely to catch, spread, or facilitate the spread of COVID to others.

 North Texas, you’ve done it before and you’ll do it now. I have faith in the spirit and the patriotism of the people of North Texas to rise to this challenge. Don’t let the fatigue get you down, but rather renew your strength and protect one another and this country as we go through these holidays focused on the things that we are thankful for and keeping our community and our country strong during this time of high spread,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

From Staff Reports • [email protected]