Dallas County Health and Human Services reported 12 deaths and a record 2,438 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, Dec 16.  The county reported 1,403 total deaths to date. The total confirmed cases are 149,533.

The county is also reporting a total of 16,697 probable cases.

The additional deaths today include:

A man in his 40’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.

A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Seagoville. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.

A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He was found deceased at home and had underlying high risk health conditions.

A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She 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 a long-term care facility in 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 hospitalized and had underlying high risk health conditions.

A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Richardson. 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 Cedar Hill. 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.

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 a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.

The city of Sachse has reported 22 COVID-19 cases today, Dec. 16 for both Collin and Dallas County residents of the city. Total cases for the city are now 956. Dallas County cases include a 17, 42, 48, 49, 62,  and 66-year-old female and a 14, 55, 57 and 62-year-old male. Collin County cases include a 15, 21, 32 and 50-year-old female and a 12, 17, 18, 32, 62 and 65-year-old male.

The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 49 has increased to 1,647, which is a rate of 62.5 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 21.6% of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals testing positive in week 49 (week ending 12/5/20).

Over the past 30 days there have been 4,520 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and staff reported from over 735 separate K-12 schools in Dallas County, including 681 staff members. Of these cases, 534 have been associated with extracurricular activities, including athletics.

There are currently 93 active long-term care facility outbreaks. Over the past 30 days, a total of 848 COVID-19 cases have been reported from these facilities, including 317 staff members. Of these cases 32 have been hospitalized, and 33 have died, including 2 deaths of staff members. Twenty-six outbreaks of COVID-19 in congregate-living facilities (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) have been reported in the past 30 days associated with 165 cases, including 6 hospitalizations. One facility has reported 89 confirmed COVID-19 cases since October.

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 22% have been associated with long-term care facilities. New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate.

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 838 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Tuesday, December 15. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 565 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’s number of 2,438 cases is 250 more new cases than we have ever experienced in any one day. We also are reporting 12 more deaths from COVID today. With the unprecedented high spread we are experiencing, it is important that people plan ahead to avoid crowds. Holiday shopping for both food and gifts can be done online or over the phone with curbside or at-home delivery. Although this requires a little more planning, it will be well worth it in keeping you, your family, your community and ultimately your country a little bit stronger.

Masking around anyone who you do not live with while in an indoor setting is also critical to protecting you and the community at large.

Now is the time for the small sacrifices of patriotism as we protect not just ourselves but people we don’t even know from the COVID virus, recognizing that any outbreak will eventually lead to someone, whether you know them or not, getting the virus and having a very bad outcome. By avoiding crowds, and avoiding spreading the virus, we protect not only those we know and love, but that person we may not know who will pay a heavy price for others’ get-togethers or attendance at crowded venues. It’s up to all of us to use the two ‘vaccines’ we have at our disposal now, the mask and the doctors’ fact-based recommendations, until the vaccine shot can be available for everyone,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

From Staff Reports • [email protected]