Jenkins warns of ‘less than optimal’ care if COVID-19 hits another holiday break as hospitalizations in Texas reach new highs

Updated at 16:50: Revised to include Collin County and nationwide numbers.

As Dallas County on Monday reported 1,243 new cases of coronavirus and 15 additional deaths, District Judge Clay Jenkins pleaded with residents to avoid large New Year’s parties that could spread the virus further in the coming weeks.

Across the country, 11,351 patients with the virus were admitted to hospital on Monday.

“While it is traditionally a joyous time when we gather with our friends and families to celebrate and usher in the new year, we are in a very dangerous situation with COVID-19 in our country and region,” Jenkins said in said a written statement. note that hospitals in the area are already thinly stretched.

According to a prediction by researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center, hospitalizations in Dallas County could reach the virus – which reached a record high of 1,000 last week – by January 5th. If that happens, Jenkins says, the ICU beds will be full and some patients will be “forced to have less than optimal care.”

On Wednesday, Jenkins warned that the country has only 17 ICU beds available – a record low. On Monday, he reported that the number of open ICU beds had risen to 27.

But Steve Love, president and CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Board, said Monday that there are only 56 ICU beds in the North Texas area with 19 counties free.

Jenkins said people should celebrate the new year safely at home with only their household members.

‘You may not feel that your personal risk of COVID-19 is high, but given the high potential for exposure in a bar or party environment, including house parties with people you do not live with, you are at risk for those around you if you can not quarantine properly after potential exposure, ”he said.

The last victims to die in Dallas County included six Dallas residents: a woman in her 50s, a man in his 60s, a woman in her 60s who lived in a long-term care facility, two women in their 70s and a man in his 80s.

The other victims were two residents of Garland, a man in his 40s and a man in his 50s who lived in a long-term care facility; two Mesquite residents, a man and a woman, both in their 70s; A DeSoto woman in her 80s who was a resident of a long-term care facility; a woman in the Boer branch in her 60s; An Irving man in his 70s; a man from Lancaster in his 60s; and a Rowlett man in his 70s.

All but the Mesquite man had underlying health conditions that put them at high risk for COVID-19 complications, health officials said.

Of the new cases reported Monday, 1,142 are confirmed and 101 likely. The newly reported cases bring the province’s total confirmed cases to 167,900 and probable cases to 20,223. Dallas County recorded 1,580 COVID-19 deaths.

The province said it only considers positive antigen tests (sometimes called rapid tests) as likely cases; some antibody and “household” results were previously included.

While other North Texas counties give estimates for how many people have recovered from the virus, Dallas County officials do not report recovery, noting that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not use that measure.

Health officials use hospitalizations, admissions to intensive care and emergency visits as key statistics to track the real-time impact of COVID-19 in the country. Due to a delay in weekend reporting, the numbers will be available for Dallas County next Tuesday.

Statewide data

Across the state, 13,864 more cases of coronavirus and 49 COVID-19 deaths were reported Monday. Texas has now reported 1,683,426 cases and 26,521 deaths.

Of the new cases, 12,841 were confirmed and 1,023 likely. The state reported 1,490,479 confirmed cases and 192,947 probable cases.

There are 11,351 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals – a new high for the state – including 3,476 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, also a record high. The state’s previous record, 10,893 patients, was set on July 22nd.

The seven-day average positivity rate across the country for molecular tests, based on the date of collection of the test sample, was 15.8% on Sunday. State health officials said the use of data based on when people were tested provided the most accurate positivity rate.

For antigen tests, the positivity rate for the same period was 9.6%.

Tarrant county

Tarrant County on Monday reported 5,991 cases of coronavirus and 18 new deaths. According to the province’s dashboard, it contains the total number of cases reported Thursday through Sunday.

Five of the victims were Fort Worth residents: a woman in her 50s, a woman in her 60s, a man and a woman in their 70s, and a woman in her 80s. Five more lived in Richland Hills: a man and a woman in their 70s, a woman in her 80s and two women in their 90s.

The other victims were three Arlington residents, a man in his 50s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s; two men from Bedford, in their 70s and 80s; a man from Haltom City in his 80s; A hurst man in his 80s; and a Westworth Village man in his 90s.

The newly reported cases total the province’s 144,001, including 125,947 confirmed cases, 18,054 probable cases and 105,531 recoveries. The death toll stands at 1,425.

According to the numbers on Monday on the provincial dashboard, 1175 people are being admitted to hospital with the virus.

Collin county

The state on Monday added 418 cases of coronavirus to Collin County, bringing the score to 46,018. No new COVID-19 deaths were reported, leaving the province’s death toll at 351.

Of the new cases, 359 were confirmed and 59 likely. Collin County recorded 41,496 confirmed cases and 4,522 probable cases.

According to state data, the province has 4,053 active cases.

The province’s coronavirus dashboard offers only total hospitalizations, now at 518.

Denton county

Denton County reported 454 cases of coronavirus – of which 357 are active – and 11 new deaths Monday, the first time the country has reported a double-digit death rate.

The latest victims included five Denton residents: a man in his 60s, a woman in her 70s who lived in Denton Golden Meadows Care, and a man and two women over 80, one of whom was in the Good Samaritan Society Lake Forest Village lived there.

The other victims were two Lewisville men in their 70s, a Corinthian woman over 80, a Flower Mound man in his 50s and a man and a woman, both over 80, living in unincorporated Denton County. just lived.

The newly reported cases bring the province to 37,262, of which 12,031 are active and 25,033 are recovering. The death toll stands at 198.

The newly reported cases also increase the province’s total molecular cases to 30,638, while antigen cases stand at 6,624.

According to the country’s data, 204 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospital.

Other provinces

The Texas Department of Public Health has taken over reporting for these other North Texas counties. In some provinces, new data is not reported every day.

The latest numbers are:

• Rockwall County: 5,777 cases (4,797 confirmed and 980 likely), 49 deaths.
• Kaufman County: 8,686 cases (7,576 confirmed and 1,110 likely), 112 deaths.
• Ellis County: 12,230 cases (10,781 confirmed and 1,449 probable), 159 deaths.
• Johnson County: 10,208 cases (9,024 confirmed and 1,184 likely), 149 deaths.

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