Dallas County reported a record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases Tuesday, along with 14 more deaths.
The county reported a record 3,549 positive cases on Tuesday, which was 350 higher than the previous grade, but also a record 1,226 COVID-19 patients who were in county hospitals until Monday night. They also reported 462 ER visits for people with COVID-19 symptoms.
Of the cases reported on Monday, the county said 2,979 were confirmed cases and 570 were probable cases (antigen test), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county from March 2020 to 197,359 and the number of probable cases (antigen test) to 25,276. The total number of confirmed and probable cases in the county is now at 222,635. In the past seven days, Dallas County officials have reported 18,260 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus for an average of 2,609 per day.
County officials said Monday that there have been 1,791 deaths in the county attributed to the March 2020 virus. The 14 victims announced Tuesday include people ranging in age from 40 to 80, all of whom were hospitalized and were residents of Dallas, Highland. Park, Mesquite and DeSoto.
With deaths announced on Tuesday, the city of Dallas has now lost 1,000 residents due to the March 2020 virus.
“We are in the hardest time to spread COVID. The activities that seemed safe to you a few weeks ago are much less secure now,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said Tuesday. “Special attention is now being paid to the vaccine, as it should be, but the task of ensuring an orderly and rapid vaccination falls on some of us in emergency and medical care. The task of keeping COVID safe and keeping it down falls on you all. “
COVID-19 VACCINATION EFFORTS
In partnership with the state health department, Dallas County opened a large-scale vaccination hub in Fair Park on Monday, where they plan to deliver up to 2,000 vaccines a day for Phase 1A and 1B. The vaccination center does not accept travel and you must have an appointment to be vaccinated. Sign up for a meeting at the link below. The county also plans to provide vaccines in two other locations in the county, where they can administer another 1,000 vaccines a day.
The vaccine is currently given only to those in Phase 1A and 1B, as highlighted by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Those in phase 1A are front-line health workers or residents of long-term care units. Phase 1B includes those over the age of 65 or those over the age of 16 with a chronic condition that puts them at risk for serious illness.
Once vaccinated, people are expected to get a certain level of protection within a few weeks of the first shot, but full protection may not happen until a few weeks after the second shot. Even when completely vaccinated, it is still possible to become infected with the virus because the vaccine does not provide 100% protection.