COVID-19 In DFW Dec. 20-26: Case Counts Keep Climbing In North Texas

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

Saturday, Dec. 26

Dallas County Reports 1,318 New Cases

There are 1,318 additional cases in the area, bringing the total to 161, 278. Of the cases reported today, 1,089 are confirmed and 229 are probable cases. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said there are less reported deaths today than in previous days this week.

Ten deaths were reported today:

• An Irving woman in her 20s.
• Two Dallas men in their 50s.
• A Seagoville woman in her 50s.
• A Garland man in his 50s.
• An Irving woman in her 70s.
• An Irving woman in her 70s.
• A Rowlett man in his 70s.
• A Dallas man in his 70s.
• A Lancaster man in his 80s.

516 New Cases In Denton County

Another 516 cases in the area raises the total to 36,813. There have been 546 newly recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 24,562.

Free drive-thru testing will be available on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at University of North Texas Discovery Park at 2940 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 with appointments starting at 8 a.m.

Collin County Reports 1,582 New Cases

There are 1,582 more cases reported since Wednesday, Dec. 23, bringing the total to 40,661. There are 13 additional deaths that have been reported today.

Wednesday, Dec. 23

Dallas Reports 2,512 Cases And 30 Deaths

The 2,512 cases are a new daily record for the county, according to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

"The latest COVID predictions from UTSW, show a sharp increase in cases per day and hospitalizations — up to 2,700 cases per day and 1,500 hospitalizations by January 5th," Jenkins said. "As of this morning, we had 17 remaining ICU beds in Dallas County, the worst we’ve seen so far. If we reach the predicted worse case scenarios, we will clearly surpass our capacity."

The deaths reported include:

• A man in his 20s from Dallas.
• A woman in her 40s from Dallas.
• Two men in their 50s from Dallas.
• Two women in their 50s from Dallas.
• A man in his 60s from Dallas.
• A woman in her 60s from Dallas.
• A man in his 60s from Grand Prairie.
• A woman in her 60s from Balch Springs.
• A woman in her 60s from Mesquite.
• A man in his 70s from Grand Prairie.
• A woman in her 70s from Grand Prairie.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Richardson.
• A man in his 70s from Cedar Hill.
• Three men in their 70s from Dallas.
• Two men in their 70s from Garland.
• A man in his 70s from Sunnyvale.
• A woman in her 70s from Dallas.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Dallas.
• A woman in her 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Dallas.
• A woman in her 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Garland.
• Two men in their 80s from Irving.
• A man in his 80s from Grand Prairie.
• A man in his 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Dallas.
• A woman in her 100s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Garland.

There have been a total of 1,544 deaths in Dallas County from COVID-19.

Tarrant County Reports 11 Deaths

The deaths included a woman from Arlington in her 90s, a woman from Keller in her 90s, a woman from Fort Worth in her 90s, a man from Mansfield in his 70s, a man from Fort Worth in his 70s, a man from Bedford in his 60s, a man from Fort Worth in his 60s, a woman from White Settlement in her 60s, a man from Arlington in his 50s, a man and woman from Mansfield in their 40s.

Tarrant County now has 1,389 confirmed deaths and 99,752 people have recovered. There were 1,702 new cases reported on Wednesday.

Three Deaths And 751 Cases In Denton County

The deaths included a man in his 50s from The Colony, and a man and a woman in their 80s who were residents of Inspired Living in Lewisville. There have been 187 total deaths in Denton County.

The county also announced 751 new cases, increasing the cumulative countywide total to 36,303 cases. There were also 293 newly recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 24,016.

A Third Day Of Record Cases Reported In Collin County

There were 1,113 new cases reported in Collin County on Wednesday, the third consecutive day a single-day record has been set.

North Texas First Responders Start To Get Vaccinated

Parkland Hospital inoculated 50 Dallas Fire and Rescue paramedics Wednesday.

The group received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and are among the first city employees to get vaccinated in North Texas.

Marshal Isaacs, Parkland physician and medical director for Dallas Fire and Rescue, said the vaccine is available for the paramedics because of the hospital’s generosity and the group was very grateful.

“This immunization, this shot, for me and for many frontline healthcare workers around Dallas has not only contained what we believe will be immunity, but this is also a shot of hope. And that was sorely needed," Isaacs said.

More North Texas first responders will be vaccinated in the coming days.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has allocated 2,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to the City of Dallas.

Alexander Eastman, physician, lieutenant and the chief medical officer for the Dallas Police Department, says this is great news — but called the vaccine merely a first step toward the end of the coronavirus.

"Just because a vaccine is going to be going into arms this week we really can’t let our guard down yet," Eastman said. We’ve got to continue to do everything we do, you know, and everything we’ve preached all the way long. So wear your mask, wash your hands and watch your distance. The end is in sight, but we’re not there yet.”

According to Dallas Fire and Rescue and the Dallas Police Department approximately 785 officers and first responders have contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Arlington is expecting 3,000 Moderna vaccine doses before Christmas.

NBC DFW is reporting the city has transformed a section of its eSports Arena where it’ll distribute the vaccines to the first responders.

Vaccine Expert Expects Texas Cases To Continue To Climb This Winter

As Texans receive the first vaccine doses, COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise across the state.

Vaccine expert Dr. Peter Hotez is dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He told Texas Standard infection rates are high in Midland, El Paso and parts of West Texas and the Panhandle, and we're starting to see increases in North Texas.

"The other thing we're starting to see now is an uptick in North Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Oklahoma looks very troubled, and if you look out in the Oklahoma, sort of on the Red River border there and up in North Texas, that’s also looking pretty ominous," Hotez said. "I think we’re going to be in for a pretty rough ride this winter."

Galveston County Asking To Keep Bars Open

Galveston County is refusing to comply with one of the governor's orders requiring bars to close and many businesses to reduce capacity. The county's trauma service area recently surpassed the state's COVID-19 hospitalization threshold for stricter measures.

County Judge Mark Henry is asking for an exemption.

​"We have tried to explain that Galveston County is in a trauma service area, TSA, that extends from Brazoria County to the Louisiana state line, up to Jasper, and to try to impose one size fits all solution for that large of a geographic area is really ridiculous," Henry said.

Tuesday, Henry said he hadn't heard back from the state.

Currently, 10 of the state's 22 trauma service areas are subject to GA-32 from Gov. Greg Abbott because of high COVID-19 hospitalization rates.

Social Worker Joining The Team At The Grand Prairie Library

The Grand Prairie Library has brought a social worker on staff to help provide better resources for the community.

The Dallas Morning News reports the library has been limited in what it can offer to people with mental-health issues or disabilities, or those who need other kinds of support.

Library officials say the newly hired social worker can help people navigate mental-health challenges, locate resources, and assist those with food or housing insecurity.

Gas Prices On The Rise, But Still Down From Last Year

AAA Texas estimates between today and Jan. 3; 6.6 million people in the state will hit the road for the holidays — and spokesperson Joshua Zuber says gas prices are on the rise.

"But we are still paying cheaper prices from this time last year, down 27 cents from this time last year," Zuber said.

The statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded is currently $1.95.

Tuesday, Dec. 22

Collin County Reports A Record Single-Day Count For Cases

The county reported 959 new cases, bringing the countywide total to 37,966. This is the second day in a row that Collin County has had a single-day record for cases. On Monday, 717 cases were reported.

Dallas County Reports 2,366 New Cases, 30 Deaths

The county now has a cumulative total of 158,354 cases and 1,514 deaths. The deaths reported include the following:

• Two men in their 50s from Garland.
• A man in his 50s from Farmers Branch.
• A man in his 60s from Irving.
• A woman in her 60s from Mesquite.
• A woman in her 60s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Irving.
• A man in his 60s from Mesquite.
• Two men in their 60s from Dallas.
• A man in his 60s from Rowlett.
• A woman in her 70s from Garland.
• A man in his 70s from Garland.
• A woman in her 70s from Mesquite.
• A woman in her 70s from Irving.
• A man in his 70s from DeSoto.
• Two women in their 70s from Dallas.
• A man in his 70s from Mesquite.
• A woman in her 70s from Rowlett.
• A man in his 80s from Dallas.
• A man in his 80s from Lancaster.
• Two men in their 80s from Dallas.
• A man in his 80s from Grand Prairie.
• A woman in her 80s from Garland.
• Two men in their 80s who were a residents of long-term care facilities in Garland.
• A man in his 80s from DeSoto.
• A man in his 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Garland.
• A man in his 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Irving.

Tarrant County Reports 1,500 Cases

The county now has a cumulative total of 134,091 cases. They have a total of 98,313 recoveries in the county and 1,378 deaths.

Denton County Reports 525 Cases

The new cases increase the cumulative, countywide total to 35,554. The county also reported 206 newly recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 23,724.

Texas Hospitalizations Continue To Climb

The number of Texans hospitalized for the coronavirus continues to increase, now surpassing 10,000 for the first time since July.

Hospital regions across the state continue to face limited capacity. That includes Laredo's Trauma Service Area which currently has the highest percentage of COVID-19 patients in Texas.

Laredo's Health Authority Doctor Victor Treviño said Monday the hospitalization rate is trending in the wrong direction and ICUs continue to operate at capacity.

COVID-19 patients account for nearly 34% of all hospitalizations in the Laredo area.

Vaccine Will Be Administered Next To Texas Seniors, People With High-Risk Health Conditions

Older Texans and people with certain medical conditions will be next in line for COVID-19 vaccines.

Texans 16 years of age and older with at least one chronic medical condition will get priority. Those conditions include cancer, severe obesity, sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes, among others.

In addition to adults with medical conditions, residents 65 and older will also be prioritized in the Phase 1B distribution plan.

The decision by DSHS is based on data that showed more than 70% of COVID-19 deaths in Texas occurred in people 65 and older. Adults with certain medical conditions also have an increased risk of hospitalization and death if they become infected.

Texas Congressional Delegation Largely Supports COVID Relief Package

A roughly $900 billion coronavirus relief package is heading to President Trump's desk after Congress approved the measure Monday night.

Nearly two dozen Texans in the U.S. House backed the legislation. That includes Congresswoman Kay Granger. The Fort Worth Republican spoke on the House Floor before the vote.

"Specifically our package will ensure the timely distribution of vaccines across the country, help small business affected by the economic downtown, and provide must needed relief for airports and the airline industry," Granger said.

Nine GOP Texas Congressmen were among the 53 House members who voted against the bill. Texas Republican John Cornyn was one of 92 Senators to approve the deal. Ted Cruz opposed it.

North Texas Food Banks Worry What Will Happen To Families When Two Programs Expire

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the demand for food assistant programs. This year, the North Texas Food Bank doubled the pounds of food they’ve provided from last year. But, there’s a concern that a big portion of the food will be in jeopardy.

The Food Purchase and Distribution Program and the Farmers-to Family-Food-Box Program, two critical food resources will expire at the end of this year.

“We lose these programs then you have increase need on COVID and we are looking as the United States about 1.1 billion pounds of food that we are going to be missing. And for the North Texas food bank that translates to over 20 million pounds that we aren’t going to get out to the community,” said Valerie Hawthorne, director of government relations at the North Texas Food Bank.

The North Texas Food Bank relies heavily on both of these programs, which makes them essential to feeding North Texas families.

“We’ve been asking Congress to include extra money for food banks in the new stimulus package as well as boost SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) so we can give folks more money so they can go to the grocery store,” Hawthorne said.

Congress recently passed the year-end federal stimulus package that includes $13 billion for food stamp benefits. Although this does not solve the problem, Hawthorne said it will help food banks a little.

Monday, Dec. 21

Tarrant County Reports 265 Previously Unreported Deaths

In November, Tarrant County began receiving vital records data from Texas DSHS and initiated the process of reconciling it against both reported deaths and reported COVID-19 cases. Of the nearly 1,000 records reviewed, 265 deaths had not been previously reported directly to Tarrant County Public Health. These deaths occurred from April through November 2020.

The county now has 1,362 confirmed deaths from the COVID-19 virus and 97,349 people have recovered.

Dallas County Reports 1,814 Cases and 23 Deaths

The countywide total for deaths is now 1,484. The deaths include:

• A man in his 40s from Dallas.
• A man in his 40s from Grand Prairie.
• A woman in her 40s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in DeSoto.
• A man in his 50s from Hutchins.
• A man in his 60s from Dallas.
• Two women in their 60s from Dallas.
• A man in his 60s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Lancaster.
• A man in his 60s from Grand Prairie.
• A man in his 60s from Dallas.
• A man in his 60s from Mesquite.
• A man in his 70s from Coppell.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Dallas.
• A man in his 70s from Dallas.
• A woman in her 70s from Dallas.
• A man in his 70s from Farmers Branch.
• Three men in their 80s from Mesquite.
• A man in his 80s from Dallas.
• Two women in their 90s who were a residents of long-term care facilities in Dallas.
• A woman in her 90s from Irving.

Denton County Reports 730 New Cases

Denton County Public Health reported one death, bringing the total to 184 deaths. The death was a man in his 80s who was a resident of Inspired Living in Lewisville.

DCPH also announced 730 new cases of COVID-19 in Denton County, of which 622 are active cases. This increases the cumulative, countywide total to 35,030. DCPH also reported 395 newly recovered cases of COVID-19, increasing the countywide recovery total to 23,518.

Texas Surpasses 25,000 COVID-Related Deaths

Texas' COVID death total surpassed 25,000 over the weekend, as cases and hospitalizations are surging across the state.

Over 10,000 people are hospitalized with the coronavirus in Texas, an increase of more than 600 since last Sunday.

Hospitals across the state are reaching capacity. Several regions report that COVID-19 patients occupy more than 15% of their hospital capacity, including El Paso and Laredo.

There were 76,000 new cases were reported last week, as well as 1,400 new deaths.

Congressional Leaders Reach Deal On $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Package

Help could soon be on the way for Texans with Congress reaching an agreement Sunday on a long-awaited coronavirus relief package. Among the provisions in the nearly $900 billion deal is more funding for vaccine distribution.

Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee says it's important to ensure doses are dispatched as soon as possible. The Houston Democrat spoke on the House Floor this morning.

"I spoke to hospitals in my district, smaller hospitals, community hospitals who are still waiting for their vaccine," Jackson Lee said on the House floor this morning. "We know that they want their front line medical professionals to keep saving and serving the public."

The legislation also includes another round of stimulus checks, provides a $300 dollar boost to the federal unemployment insurance benefit, and extends the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses.

The House and Senate are expected to debate and approve the deal today.

Read more about the package from NPR.

Texas Will Get More Time To Spend CARES Act Funding

Republican Sen. John Cornyn confirmed Texas will get through 2021 to spend CARES Act funding. The original deadline was Dec. 30th.

"We've extended that deadline by another year, so any of that CARES Act money that state and local governments got they now will have another year to spend it, hopefully in a more effective and reasonable way," Cornyn told reporters today.

Texas has about $2 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds left to spend.

Fewer Texans Expected To Travel For The Holiday & Most Will Drive

Fewer Texans are expect to travel over the holidays because of the pandemic, but 96% of those who do will be driving.

"You're looking at about 6.6 million Texans that will travel in between Dec. 23 to Jan. 3," Daniel Armbruster, with AAA Texas, said.

That's just by car. Another 162,000 will be taking planes and about 30,000 will be relying on another mode of transport, such as buses or trains.

Overall, travel in Texas will be down 29% from 2019.

Sunday, Dec. 20

30 Deaths & 1,143 New Cases In Dallas County

Dallas County is reporting 30 more deaths and 1,143 new cases today, of which 788 are confirmed. There is a cumulative total of
154,611 cases, 1,461 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness.

The additional deaths being reported today are described as:

• From Dallas: a woman in her 30s, a woman in her 50s, a man in his 50s, two woman in their 60s, two men in their 60s, two men in their 70s, a woman in her 70s, four woman in their 80s, a man in his 90s and two women in their 90s
• From Mesquite: a woman in her 40s and a man in his 70s
• A Coppell woman in her 50s
• A Grand Prairie woman in her 50s and one in her 90s
• A Desoto man in his 50s
• A Lancaster man in his 60s
• A Rowlett man in his 70s
• An Irving man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s
• A Richardson woman in her 70s
• From Garland: a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s

Tarrant County Reports 13 More Deaths, 960 New Cases

There are 13 more COVID-19 deaths and 960 new cases in Tarrant County today. This brings the cumulative number of cases in the county to 131,097; including 1,097 deaths.

Those who died are described as:

• A Euless woman in her 80s
• A Fort Worth man in his 80s
• From Grapevine: two men in their 60s and one in his 80s
• A Hurst woman in her 70s
• A North Richland Hills woman in her 70s
• A man in his 70s from unincorporated Tarrant County
• An Arlington man in his50s and one in his 70s
• A Fort Worth woman in her 70s and a man in his 60s
• A Keller man in his 60s

All but two had underlying health conditions.
417 New Cases In Collin County; 3 More Deaths

There have now been a cumulative total of 36,290 COVID-19 cases in Collin County, including 326 confirmed deaths.

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

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