News

As of 12:00 pm January 11, 2022, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 12,698 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 10 confirmed cases, and 884 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 393,507 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 77,039 probable cases (antigen test). A total of 5,621 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness. Today’s press release includes the new case totals accumulated from Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) provided more than 500,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic, which operated from January 11 through July 17. A vaccination clinic is open at the Dallas College Eastfield Campus Location on Tuesdays – Saturdays from 9 am-6 pm. A weekly pop-up vaccination clinic will take place at Fair Park on Sundays, from 10 am – 4 pm, starting November 21^st, 2021.

The additional deaths being reported today include the following:

• A woman in her 50’s who was a resident of the City of Farmers Branch. She was found deceased at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She expired in hospice and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Duncanville. She expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high-risk health conditions.    

• A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She was found deceased at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the City of Duncanville. She expired at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions. 

• A man in his 90’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.

To date, a total of 850 cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified and investigated in residents of Dallas County, including 156 cases of B.1.1.7 (Alpha); 4 cases of B.1.351 (Beta); 627 cases of B.1.617.2 (Delta); 13 cases of B.1.427 (Epsilon);  19 cases of P.1 (Gamma);  9 cases of B.1.526 (Iota); 4 cases of C.37 (Lambda); 1 case of B.1.621 (Mu); 16 cases of B.1.1.529 (Omicron); and 1 case of P.2 (Zeta). One hundred and eighty-seven cases have been hospitalized and 21 have died. Seventeen COVID-19 variant cases were reinfections. Two hundred and sixteen people were considered fully vaccinated before infection with a COVID-19 variant. As of 1/7/2022, a total of 15,907 confirmed and probable cases were reported in CDC week 52 (week ending 1/1/22), which is a weekly rate of 603.6 new cases per 100,000 residents.

As of the week ending 1/1/2022, about 77% of Dallas County residents age 12 years and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including 96% of residents age 65 years and older; 83% of residents between 40-64 years of age; 74% of residents 25-39 years of age; 63% of residents 18-24 years of age; and 58% of residents 12-17 years of age.  In the cities of Addison, Coppell, Highland Park, Irving, and Sunnyvale, greater than 90% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  In the cities of Desoto, Farmers Branch, Garland, and University Park, greater than 80% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (See below).

About 61.5% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Week 52 were Dallas County residents who were not fully vaccinated.  In Dallas County, 23,950 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals have been confirmed to date, of which 803 (3.4%) were hospitalized and 230 have died due to COVID-19.

Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 1/1/2022 (CDC week 52), 41.7% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. For week 52, area hospital labs have continued to report elevated numbers and proportions of respiratory specimens that are positive for other respiratory viruses by molecular tests: parainfluenza (7.63%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (21.99%), and RSV (7.53%).

There are currently 53 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 5,062 residents and 3,124 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,203 have been hospitalized and 857 have died. About 15% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities.

There have been 7 outbreaks of COVID-19 in a congregate-living facility (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) reported within the past 30 days. A cumulative total of 789 residents and 264 staff members in congregate-living facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with more detailed data dashboards and summary reports updated on Friday evenings, available at: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus/daily-updates.php.

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. The most recent COVID-19 hospitalization data for Dallas County, as reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, can be found at www.dallascounty.org/covid-19 under “Monitoring Data,” and is updated regularly. This data includes information on the total available ICU beds, suspected and confirmed COVID-19 ER visits in the last 24 hours, confirmed COVID-19 inpatients, and COVID-19 deaths by actual date of death. The most recent forecasting from UTSW can be found here.

“Today’s numbers are 12,698 new COVID-19 cases and 8 deaths. This is a three-day total. UT Southwester’s medical model released last week estimated that up to 1250 people would be hospitalized in Dallas County by the end of the month. We are already at more than 1,200 hospitalizations and the new UT Southwestern model released yesterday estimates that hospitalizations will more than double by the end of January, and up to 10,000 cases will be reported per day. Keep in mind, this only includes cases that are processed in our labs and does not include the home test kits, which will become more popular and more utilized as supply increases. This indicates that this particular strain of COVID is one of the most contagious viruses measured, surpassing all of the known viruses period. This does not mean it’s the most deadly virus, but simply the most contagious. Even with it being less deadly than the Delta strain, the sheer number of people who will get it means that our hospitals will be full, and this will have an impact not only on COVID patients, but everyone in need of a hospital room. For this reason it’s imperative that we get vaccinated if we’re not already, that we get boosted, as most vaccinated people in Dallas County have not yet had their booster. Boosters are easy to come by. You can find them at Vaccines.gov. It’s also important that we wear a mask indoors when outside our own homes, and avoid crowds when possible. We can’t all do everything, but we can all do something. And your part is to get boosted, wear a mask, and avoid those crowds. Those are the most important things we can do right now, for yourself, your community and your country in this battle against COVID-19.,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. 

All Dallas County COVID-19 Updates and Information can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/ and all guidance documents can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/guidance-health.php
Specific Guidance for the Public:

• Dallas County COVID-19 Related Health Guidance for the Public
• Dallas County Measures for Protecting An Institution’s Workforce from COVID-19 Infection: Employer/Employee Guidance
• Dallas County Guidance for Individuals at High-Risk for Severe COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid close contact outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others and continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
• Stay home when you are sick, except to seek medical care
• Wash your hands often and with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and help young children to do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve, not your hands. Immediately wash your hands.
• Monitor your health daily. Be alert for symptoms. Take your temperature and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

Additional information is available at the following websites:

• CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• CDC Travel Information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
• DSHS: https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/
• DCHHS: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus.php

For additional information and updates from the City of Duncanville visit:
duncanville.com/covid-19/