Dallas County Health and Human Services reported 30 deaths and a record 2,366 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, Dec 22.  The county reported 1,514 total deaths to date. The total confirmed cases are 156,266.

The county is also reporting a total of 18,552 probable cases.

The additional deaths this weekend include:

A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high-risk conditions.

A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Farmers Branch. He was found deceased at home.

A man in his 50’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 60’s who was a resident of the City of Irving. He expired in an area hospital ED and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. She expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Irving. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

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 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 60’s who was a resident of the City of Rowlett. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. 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 the City of Garland. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Irving. 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 the City of Desoto. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had 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.

A woman in her 70’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 the City of Mesquite. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Rowlett. She had been critically ill in an area hospital.

A man in his 80’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 80’s who was a resident of the City of Lancaster. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A man in his 80’s who was a resident of a the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.

A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

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

A man in his 80’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Desoto. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A man in his 80’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 80’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A man in his 90’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Garland. He expired in an area ED and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A man in his 90’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility the City of Irving. He expired in the facility.

The city of Sachse has reported 1,030 COVID-19 cases as of today, Dec. 22 for both Collin and Dallas County residents of the city. Today cases for Dallas County include an 18, 23, 34, 60 and 71-year-old female and a 11, 28, 29, 40, 41, 46, 50, 55, 60, 60, 60, 65, 68 and 77-year-old male. New Collin County cases include a 38-year-old female and a 11, 15, 42 and 42-year-old male.

The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 50 was to 1,668, which is a rate of 62.9 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 50 was to 1,668, which is a rate of 62.9 daily new cases per 100,000 residents. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 remains high, with 19.7% of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals testing positive in week 50 (week ending 12/12/20).

Over the past 30 days, there have been 6,050 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and staff reported from 780 separate K-12 schools in Dallas County, including 686 staff members. Of these cases, 603 have been associated with extracurricular activities, including athletics.

There are currently 99 active long-term care facility outbreaks. Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 2,696 residents and 1,550 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 631 have been hospitalized and 318 have died. About 22% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities. Thirty-nine 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 163 cases, including 6 hospitalizations. One facility has reported 89 COVID-19 outbreak cases since October.

Due to the observance of the Christmas holiday, Dallas County will not be releasing COVID-19 data on Thursday, December 24 or Friday, December 25. Reporting will resume Saturday, December 26. Saturday’s reporting will include data processed Wednesday evening and Sunday’s reporting will include data from Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

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 1,000 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on Monday, December 21. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 494 for the same time-period, which represents around 24 percent of all emergency department visits in the county. At a 1,000 patients, we are nearly 200 higher than the record from the July peak.

Without similar state restrictions in place as we saw in July to bend the curve down, we are alarmed by the growth and potential for even more spread over the holidays. Please follow public health guidance and do not meet outside your household, avoid indoor settings such as restaurants, bars, and malls, and stay home to the fullest extent possible. #StayHomeStaySafe was critical to our success in the spring and summer, with higher numbers today we must commit to that strategy again. You can find additional information on risk-level monitoring data here

On December 3, Trauma Service Area E (TSA E), which includes Dallas County and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, reached seven consecutive days where the percentage of COVID-19 confirmed patients in regional hospitals, as a percentage of available hospital beds, exceeded 15 percent. According to Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-32 (GA-32), this makes TSA E an area with high hospitalizations and certain occupancy reductions are automatically triggered by reaching this threshold.

“Today we add another 2,366 new cases and 30 deaths to our COVID-19 numbers. With the holidays approaching and unprecedented high case counts, we are echoing the requests of our public health community, hospitals, and our health care heroes, that everyone make sacrifices this year to protect our community and save lives. Wearing a mask whenever you are in an indoor setting and outside your home, and within your home when anyone other your household members are present. Foregoing get-togethers this holiday and avoiding crowds is critical. It’s not too late to shop curbside locally. Local retailers would be glad to have you make  selections and bring them to your car.  

But, please stay out of crowded stores and malls, where distancing can be compromised. Now is the time for patriotism, to help our essential workers and health care heroes who’ve worked so hard to help us. Again, please encourage everyone you know to shop locally curbside, but not indoors, and follow the advice found on Dallascounty.org/covid-19/ to help our health care heroes help you. I wish everyone joyous and meaningful holidays. We can get through this, fueled largely by the courage and the smart personal decisions that you and your loved ones make, until the vaccine can be widely administered,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

From Staff Reports • [email protected]