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COVID-19 In DFW Oct. 25-31: Officials Urge Families To Use Caution On Hallowen

Pumpkin with sand face on it sitting on a pile of other yellow and orange fall gourds.
Sascha Schuermann
/
Associated Press
Dallas County now has more than 96,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 countywide, with another 832 cases reported on Friday.

With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise in North Texas, Dallas County health officials are urging people to take caution this Halloween weekend. County Judge Clay Jenkins says trick-or-treating this year is risky, and people should find alternatives to celebrate.

For the latest news on the pandemic, visit KERA's COVID-19 live updates page.

Saturday, Oct. 31

Dallas County Reports 759 New Cases; 3 More Deaths

Dallas County is reporting 759 additional COVID-19 cases, 622 of which are confirmed, for a cumulative total of 96,694 confirmed cases, including 1,116 confirmed deaths.

Three more people with the virus in the county have died: a woman in her 70s and man in his 80s from Dallas, and a man in his 60s from Mesquite. All three had underlying high risk health conditions.

"This week, we rose to an average of 681 cases a day," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a statement. "UT Southwestern Medical modelers tell us that we are on pace to have our highest number of average daily cases per week by Thanksgiving if we do not immediately go back to doing the things that we know how to do: wear our mask, avoid crowds and practice good social distancing and hygiene."

6 Additional Deaths, 117 New Cases In Denton County

There are six more deaths related to COVID-19 in Denton County, bringing the total to 138.

The county residents who've died are described as: a man and woman in their 60s from The Colony, a Denton Man in his 70s, a Highland Village man in his 80s, a Frisco man in his 80s and a women in her 70s who lived in southwest Denton County.

There have been 16,978 total COVID-19 cases countywide.

Tarrant County Reports 674 New Cases

Tarrant County's reached a total of 67,484 COVID-19 cases with the announcement of 674 new cases today. There have been 738 deaths countywide related to the disease.

273 New Cases In Collin County

Collin County is reporting 273 new cases today, bringing the cumulative total in the county to `18,635, over 1,300 of which are active.

There have been a total of 186 COVID-related deaths in the county.

Friday, Oct. 30

Trick-Or-Treating Could Be Risky This Halloween And Families Should Find Alternatives

With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise in North Texas, Dallas County health officials are urging people to take caution this Halloween weekend. County Judge Clay Jenkins says trick-or-treating this year is risky, and people should find alternatives to celebrate.

"I know as a parent, it's not the only way that you can have fun, to go from house to house getting candy," Jenkins said. "We know that we can find ways to make memories and have fun as families together, with the people that we live around all the time, without doing that."

Dallas County now has more than 96,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 countywide, with another 832 cases reported on Friday.

Six deaths were also reported, including a woman in her 40s from Dallas, a man in his 50s from Irvine, a woman in her 60s from Richardson, a man in his 60s who lived in a long-term care facility in Dallas, a woman in her 70s from Garland, and a woman in her 70s from Cedar Hill. There have been 1,114 deaths total in the county.

Tarrant County Reported Four Deaths

The deaths include a woman from Southlake in her 80s, a woman from Bedford in her 80s, a woman from Grapevine in her 70s and a man from Arlington in his 70s.

Tarrant County now has 738 confirmed deaths from the COVID-19 virus and 52,999 people have recovered. There were 700 new cases reported, bringing the total to 66,810.

Two Deaths, 143 New Cases In Denton County

The deaths included two women in their 80s who were residents of Saddle Brook Memory Care in Frisco. There have now been 132 deaths and `16,861 total cases in Denton County, and 13,735 recoveries.

Denton County Public Health is providing a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing center Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Bakersfield Park at 1201 Duncan Ln in Flower Mound.

Collin County Reported 115 New Cases

There are now 18,362 total cases in the county, and 17,123 people have recovered from the virus. There have been 184 deaths total.

Fort Worth Mayor Is Isolating After Coronavirus Exposure

Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price is isolating after a third exposure to coronavirus.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports Price was first exposed to COVID-19 in April and then again in late June. Test results came back negative in both instances. A tweet from the mayor said current test results are pending.

Price has postponed her Annual Spooky Bike Ride until November. The event benefits the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

Exxon-Mobil Reduces U.S. Workforce By 15%

Irving-based Exxon Mobil is cutting 1,900 jobs in the U.S., mostly in Houston. It's part of a 15-percent workforce reduction to help preserve dividends. Exxon Mobil has already announced job cuts in Europe and Australia and is evaluating cuts in Canada.

Thursday, Oct. 29

Dallas County Reports 656 New Cases, 4 Deaths

There have been 656 new cases, 91 of which are probable cases. Of the 565 new confirmed cases today, 274 came through the state’s electronic reporting system that has been experiencing a backlog.

“Our number of new COVID-19 cases continues its trend upward and hospitals and medical modelers are telling us that if we don’t change our behavior, we will have numbers exceeding 1,000 cases per day going into Thanksgiving,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said.

Four deaths were reported today: a Cedar Hill man in his 40s, a Grand Prairie man in his 50s and two Dallas men in their 80s.

3 Deaths In Denton County

Three deaths were reported today in Denton, including: a Frisco woman over 80, a Frisco woman in her 70s and a Denton man in his 50s. Two of those who died were residents at Saddle Brook Memory Care.

Another 126 cases were reported in the area, raising the total to 16,718.

Tarrant County Reports 742 New Cases

Six deaths were reported in the area today, including: a Mansfield man in his 90s, a Fort Worth woman in her 90s, two Fort Worth women in their 60s, a North Richland Hills woman in her 50s and a Fort Worth woman in her 40s. All of the patients had underlying health conditions.

There are 742 additional cases in the area, raising the total to 66,110. There have been 734 total deaths in the county.

232 New Cases In Collin County

Another 232 cases in the area brings the total to 18,247. There have been 181 deaths and 17,123 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.

Lubbock Health Officials Warn Of Rising Hospitalizations

Public health officials in the Lubbock area are warning coronavirus hospitalizations are overwhelming medical facilities and cases will continue rising. Nearly 20% of patients in local hospitals are being treated for COVID-19.

Doctor Mike Ragain is Chief Medical Officer for University Medical Center in Lubbock. He spoke during a virtual town hall last night.

"It's going to get worse. We are just at the very beginning of winter and it's very likely it's going to be difficult for several months to come,” he said.

The Lubbock, Amarillo and El Paso areas have all had to reduce capacity at businesses and close bars because coronavirus patients exceed 15% of total hospital capacity in their Trauma Service Areas.

Plano-Based Keurig Dr. Pepper Reports Increase In 3rd Quarter Net Sales

North Texas-based Keurig Dr. Pepper is reporting a 5.2% increase in third quarter net sales.

On a conference call today, CEO Bob Gamgort said changing consumer habits during the pandemic helped drive a 3% increase in its coffee systems business.

"As people think about their homes differently, both living at home and working from home, they're upgrading across the board and we're seeing a combination of new people coming into our system at a higher rate and we're seeing upgrades in brewers of existing consumers,” he said. ​

The company's packaged beverage sales rose nearly 11% in the third quarter.

Wednesday, Oct. 28

624 New Cases In Dallas County

Another 624 cases were reported in Dallas County, bringing the cumulative total to 94,837 cases. The provisional seven-day average of daily confirmed and probable cases for the week ending Oct. 17 was 588, the highest daily average since July.

Three deaths were also reported: two women in their 60s from Dallas, and a man in his 80s from Irving. There are now 1,104 deaths total.

Five Deaths In Tarrant County

The deaths included two women from Fort Worth in their 70s, two men from Fort Worth in their 60s and a man from Fort Worth in his 50s. Tarrant County now has 728 deaths and 52,070 people have recovered. Another 641 cases were reported, bringing the total to 65,368.

Denton County Reports Four Deaths

The county now has 127 deaths overall. The four deaths include a man in his 70s who was a resident of Saddle Brook Memory Care in Frisco, a man in his 70s who was a resident of Mayberry Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care in Denton, and two women in their 80s who lived at Saddle Brook Memory Care.

Denton County Public Health is offering a free drive-thru testing center on Friday at University of North Texas' Discovery Park at 3940 N. Elm St. in Denton.

One Death, 132 New Cases in Collin County

The 132 cases brings the county's cumulative total to 18,015. There have been 180 total deaths and 17,019 people have recovered from the virus.

Texans Don't Have To Wear Masks While Voting After Appeals Court Temporarily Lets Abbott Order Stand

A requirement that Texans wear face masks when casting ballots during the pandemic lasted less than a day after a federal appeals court halted an order that would have compelled voters to don the coverings.

On Wednesday, the three-judge appellate panel stopped, at least for now, a district judge's Tuesday ruling that invalidated an exemption for polling places included in Gov. Greg Abbott's statewide mask mandate. The panel granted what's known as an administrative stay, which only stops the ruling from taking effect while the court considers whether it will issue an order to nullify it during the entire appeals process.

Read the full story from The Texas Tribune.

Dow Drops Steeply Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Stocks fell sharply on Wednesday as a spike in coronavirus cases deepened fears about the global economy.

As of midmorning, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 850 points, a decline of 3.1%, and is in negative territory for the month. The S&P 500 fell 3%, its third consecutive decline.

Investors have been grappling with a wave of uncertainty that's already sent the market lower in recent weeks. The White House and Democrats in Congress have struggled to agree on a new relief bill, and the possibility of a contested election makes the likelihood of an agreement even murkier.

Now, the coronavirus appears to be surging again, with 73,200 new cases in the United States on Tuesday alone, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Congressman Calls For Federal Crackdown On Unproven Coronavirus Treatment

A member of Congress, who has led efforts to investigate alleged coronavirus scams, is callingfor the federal government to crack down on an unproven treatment for COVID-19.

Widespread sales of that purported treatment - a drug known as thymosin alpha-1 - were first identified by an NPR investigation earlier this month. More than 30 doctors in more than a dozen states around the country have marketed the drug as a treatment for the coronavirus, despite the fact that it has never been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for any condition and such claims are, in the words of the FDA, "not supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence."

The congressman, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), leads the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

14 Deaths Reported In Dallas County

The county now has 1,101 total deaths. Another 597 positive cases were also reported, bringing the cumulative total to 94,358 cases. The percentage of people testing positive at area hospitals has increased to 14.2% for the week ending on Oct. 17.

Tarrant County Reported Four Deaths

The deaths include two women in Fort Worth — one in her 80s, the other in her 60s, a man in his 70s from Fort Worth, and a woman in her 60s from Benbrook. Tarrant County now has 723 confirmed deaths from the COVID-19 virus and 51,635 people have recovered.

Five Deaths Reported In Denton County

The county also reported 164 new cases, bringing that total to 16,437 cases. The deaths include three residents of Saddle Brook Memory Care in Frisco (two women in their 80s and a woman in her 70s), a woman in her 70s from unincorporated northwest Denton County, and a man in his 70s who lived at Denton State Supported Living Center in Denton.

Alcohol Permits Suspended For Four Dallas Bars

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents conducted 1,232 inspections over the last week, issuing just four suspensions statewide, all in Dallas. The bars were Shuck N Jive, Alamo Club, Bungalow, and High Fives.

The requirements that bars must follow statewide to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus for include indoor customer capacity limits of 50% for bars allowed to be open and 75% for restaurants, along with social distancing of at least 6 feet between groups of customers.

The first infraction may result in up to a 30-day license suspension, and the second may result in up to a 60-day suspension.

A map of counties where bars can reopen is available at tabc.texas.gov/coronavirus.

Collin County Judge Chris Hill Tests Positive For COVID-19

Collin County Judge Chris Hill has tested positive for COVID-19. In an email sent to the public Tuesday morning, Hill said after waking up with a mild sore throat and headache Sunday, he decided to visited his doctor Monday and requested a test that ultimately came back positive.

"I was surprised when the test came back positive, because I really didn't feel very bad," Hill said in the letter. "In fact, I feel great today, but I will continue to follow the doctor’s orders and quarantine at home according to the CDC guidelines."

Hill's wife and children don't have any symptoms but will also stay home and continue to monitor their health.

Hill, a former financial controller at KERA, also said he plans to continue to do his work for the county remotely while isolating at home.

In Collin County, 115 new cases were reported, and a total of 177 people have died from the coronavirus.

Monday, Oct. 26

Dallas County Reports 498 New Cases

There are 498 new cases in the area, 107 of which are probable cases. Of the 391 confirmed cases, 304 came through the state’s electronic reporting system. Dallas County Judge said it’s “critically important” that residents follow safety guidelines to slow the spread of the virus:

“Since Dallas County is now in ‘Red’ which means high community risk for COVID-19 transmission, it’s critically important that we follow the ‘stay safe’ guidelines so that we slow the spread of the virus and put ourselves in a better position for the holiday season.”

Two deaths were reported today, including a Dallas man in his 50s and a Cedar Hill man in his 80s.

Two Deaths Reported In Tarrant County

A Forest Hill woman in her 80s and a Tarrant County man in his 60s were reported dead today. They both had underlying health conditions.

Another 498 cases were reported in the area today, bringing the total to 64,290.

219 Cases In Denton County

There are 219 new cases reported today, bringing the total to 16,273. There have been 174 newly-recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 13,375.

A free drive-thru COVID-19 testing center will be available on Friday, October 30 at the University of North Texas’ Discovery Park at 3940 N. Elm St in Denton. Eligible community members must reside in Denton County, pre-register by calling 940-349-2585, and have not previously tested positive for COVID-19. Pre-registration is required and appointments are available starting at 8 AM.

78 New Cases In Collin County

An additional 78 cases raises the total to 17,768. There have been 175 deaths and 184 people hospitalized in the area.

Increased Hospitalizations In Lubbock Leads To More Restrictions

Lubbock on Sunday hit seven consecutive days where COVID-19 patients exceeded 15% of all hospitalizations. That means businesses will have to roll back capacity to comply with the Governor's orders.

Mayor Dan Pope told the local ABC-affiliate elective medical procedures will also be restricted.

"One of the challenging things is we have about 400 caregivers —nurses, physicians, nurse assistants — who are home either positive or in quarantine because they've had a close contact."

Earlier this month, the state deployed resources to the region to assist hospitals.

Manufacturing Sector Growing, According To Federal Reserve Bank Of Dallas

Texas factory activity expanded in October for a fifth month in a row. The growth comes after record contraction caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas says its production index, which hit a two-year high last month, is continuing to grow. It rose 3 points to 25.5. More evidence the sector is regaining ground includes an increase in new orders. But hiring did slow down. The Fed's survey of about 100 company executives also found their uncertainty about the future increased.

Sunday, Oct. 25

Dallas Reports 803 New Cases, 1 Death

Dallas County is reporting 803 new cases and one additional death -- a Dallas man in his 70s who had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying health conditions.

Dallas County now has a total of 93,548 confirmed cases and 1,099 confirmed deaths.

642 Cases Reported In Tarrant County

Another 642 cases are reported in Tarrant County, bringing the countywide total to 63,792. Two deaths are also reported.

The deaths include a man in his 60s from unincorporated Tarrant County and a Forest Hill woman in her 80s. Both had underlying health conditions.

Collin County Counts 79 New Cases

Collin County reports 79 new cases, making their countywide total 17,690.

Read More: A Timeline Of COVID-19's Spread In North Texas

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