North Texas counties reported record numbers of COVID-19 deaths
Country leaders say these high numbers are in line with expectations after the infections and hospitalizations in December and January.
DALLAS – Provincial leaders have warned that they should expect a large number of coronavirus deaths, and this is happening.
Dallas County reported 39 deaths Tuesday after 40 the previous day and after the deadliest week of the pandemic last week.
Tarrant County reported 37 deaths on Tuesday, which was the second highest daily total of the pandemic.
Country leaders say these high numbers are in line with expectations after the infections and hospitalizations in December and January.
The provinces of Tarrant, Dallas, Collin and Denton reported on Tuesday that 2,637 coronavirus patients are currently being admitted to hospital. COVID-19 patients use just under 19% of the hospital capacity in the greater North Texas region.
The continuing gradual decline in hospitalizations since mid-January alleviates the pressure on health workers.
While deaths are still being reported at a high level, the number of hospital patients is expected to decline steadily.
North Texas hospitals were on pandemic levels after the holiday. While COVID patient capacity is still high, there has been a gradual downward trend.
This is an encouraging sign for dr. Joseph Chang, Medical Head of Parkland Hospital.
“Our asymptomatic carrier rate is declining. Our positivity rates are declining,” he said. “We’re all excited about it.”
In the past two weeks, UT Southwestern models show a 17% decrease in patients in Tarrant County and a 7% decrease in Dallas County.
Parkland Hospital had 230 COVID patients as of Tuesday. A few weeks ago they had 260.
“It gives them a resource in their step,” said Dr. Chang said. “It gives them energy to go back the next day to know there is that light.”
UT Southwestern says the decline will continue in our most populous provinces.
In Tarrant County, there have been 465 fewer COVID patients since last month’s high. In Dallas County, the number is 312.
Levels are also falling in Collin and Denton counties. Collin had 94 fewer patients than the January peak and Denton County had 52 fewer.
“The work does not stop. We still have many patients,” said Dr. Chang said. “We still have a lot of patients, and a lot of the patients need a lot of care and some are going overboard.”
The COVID-19 threat will remain high in the foreseeable future.
Dr. Chang says people need to make safe decisions.
“All the signs are good now,” he said. “We need people to go ahead and get the vaccine.”