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COVID-19 In DFW April 12-18: Abbott Shares Plan To Reopen Businesses

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is joined by state and city officials as he gives an update on the coronavirus outbreak on March 16.
Eric Gay
/
Associated Press
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is joined by state and city officials as he gives an update on the coronavirus outbreak on March 16.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday issued a series of Executive Orders to gradually reopen the state’s economy. 

The first of his orders creates the Governor’s Strike Force to Open Texas, which will include officials and medical professionals who will provide recommendations to Abbott. 

Get the latest news from our COVID-19 Live Updates page.

Saturday, April 18

Denton County Announces 1 Additional Death, 7 New Cases 

Denton County Public Health announced one more death, bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 16. The county also announced seven new cases of COVID-19, raising the total to 592. 

The patient who died was a male resident of Carrollton in his 70s. He was previously reported hospitalized and was a case of local transmission.

McKinney Woman With COVID-19 Dies 

An 82-year-old McKinney woman with underlying health conditions and COVID-19 died in her home early this morning, according to public health care authorities. 

Records from Collin County Health Care Services show the woman was found positive on Friday. She was the 13th person to die from the virus in the county.

CCHCS has reported 521 cases of COVID-19 among county residents. 

Dallas County Reports Highest Number Of New Daily Cases, Weekly Fatalities To Date

Dallas County Health and Human Services announced today’s number of new cases, 134, is the most the county has ever reported. The county also announced that the 33 fatalities this week are the highest on record so far. 

“Today’s five deaths bring our weekly fatalities to 33, which is the deadliest week so far and 55% of all COVID19 deaths in Dallas County,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. “Today’s number of new cases is the most we have ever reported. The second highest number of new cases reported was yesterday.”

The county's five additional deaths include:

  • ­A man in his 80s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie and had been critically ill in an area hospital.
  • ­A woman in her 90s who was a resident of the City of University Park and had been critically ill in an area hospital. 
  • ­A man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas and had been critically ill in an area hospital.
  • ­A man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas and had been hospitalized in an area hospital.
  • ­A woman in her 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas and had been critically ill in an area hospital.

Tarrant County Reports 3 More Deaths

Tarrant County Public Health announced three more county residents have died due to COVID-19. 

One patient was in her 70s from Mansfield, one was in her 60s from Fort Worth and the other was in her 70s from Keller. Two of the women had underlying health conditions. 

Tarrant County now has 38 deaths from COVID-19. 

Texas Tops 18,000 Cases, Over 400 Deaths

As of Saturday morning, the number of COVID-19 cases in Texas topped 18,000. At least 459 people in the state have died from the virus. 

Over 4,400 cases of the disease have been confirmed in North Texas’ four biggest counties and at least 115 people in the area have died from the disease.

There have been over 700,500 cases reported across the U.S. and over 37,000 deaths.

Judge: Texas Prison Must Provide Sanitizer, Masks For Older Prisoners

A federal judge is ordering Texas officials to provide hand sanitizer, masks, and more information on COVID-19 to inmates at a geriatric prison.

The order stems from a lawsuit two prisoners at the Pack Unit, near College Station, filed against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) over its response to the pandemic.

The Texas Tribune reports that TDCJ appealed the ruling. A judge on Friday granted a five-day stay, which puts the ruling into effect on Wednesday. 

Texas Tourist Destinations Struggle During Pandemic

Texas towns that typically attract scores of tourists this time of year have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Port Aransas on the Texas Gulf Coast gets about 5 million visitors each year.

Charles Bujan is the mayor of Port Aransas. The city's struggling with business closures and job losses caused by the pandemic — that's on top of recovery efforts still underway after Hurricane Harvey. Bujan talked with public radio's Texas Standard.

“As a town we were about 90-95% destroyed,” Bujan said. “We've come a long way since then, but we still have a long way to go."

Tourism in Texas is typically a $69 billion industry, according to the state's Commission on the Arts.

Friday, April 17

Dallas County Reports 124 New Cases, 5 Additional Deaths 

Dallas County Health and Human Services is announcing 124 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths. The total number of confirmed COVID-18 cases in the county is 2,190. 

“Today’s numbers illustrate the importance of continuing to make good personal responsibility choices to #FlattenTheCurve,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. “Remember each trip to an essential business carries with it some risk, so plan ahead and make a list of what you need.” 

Five additional deaths are reported. Two of the patients were women in their 60s: one lived in Dallas and the other lived in a long-term care facility in Dallas. Two of the patients were men in their 70s: one resided in Farmers Branch and the other lived in Dallas. A man in his 80s, who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Dallas, also died. 

All five who died had been critically ill in the hospital.

Tarrant County Reports 82 New Cases, 1 Additional Death

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Tarrant County reached 1,175 Friday afternoon after health officials announced 82 new cases.

County health officials are also reporting an additional COVID-19 related death, a Fort Worth man in his 80s. There have been 35 deaths related to the disease in the county.

Collin County Reports Death Of Fairview Man With COVID-19

A 73-year-old Fairview man with underlying health conditions and COVID-19 died in a local hospital this morning, according to Collin County Health Care Services. This marks the 12th death related to the disease in the county.

County health officials reported 16 new cases of the disease today bringing the countwide total to 521 confirmed cases. There have been 12 deaths in Collin County related to COVID-19. 

Denton County Reports 21 New Cases

Denton County Public Health is reporting 21 new cases of COVID-19. This brings the countywide total to 585 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The number of cases at the Denton State Supported Living Center remains at 54.

Gov. Abbott Plans To Reopen Businesses, Shutters Schools For The Rest Of The School Year

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday issued a series of Executive Orders to gradually reopen the state’s economy. 

The first of his orders creates the Governor’s Strike Force to Open Texas, which will include officials and medical professionals who will provide recommendations to Abbott. 

Another order allows retailers to reopen, as long as they sell products without having customers enter stores.

“Because we’ve seen that this model works, while also containing COVID-19, we believe that all stores in Texas should be able to operate retail-to-go, beginning next Friday,” he said.

Schools will also remain closed for the remainder of the current academic year.

Dallas County Reports 17 Cases At Local Homeless Shelter

There are 17 new cases of COVID-19 at a Dallas County homeless shelter. Health and Human Services Director Dr. Philip Huang updated county commissioners today at an emergency meeting.

Huang did not say which shelter was affected, but explained there are as many as 200 residents and staffers who could have come in contact with the virus.

“They weren’t all symptomatic, but when we did the testing there was quite widespread positives," Huang said. "So much so that it almost indicates that we don’t even need to do any more testing. We will have to assume almost, you know, most everyone has been exposed.” 

The city of Dallas has put aside more than $1 million for hotels to house first responders and the homeless until September. Huang says officials are working to get these people moved into individual rooms today.

Dallas County Commissioners Modify Order With A Mask Requirement

Dallas County Commissioners voted Friday morning to modify an order that requires people to wear face coverings while visiting essential businesses and riding public transportation. 

The revised order will make it explicit that there will be no fine or punishment for people who do not wear coverings.

The original order was set to go into effect at midnight. 

Commissioners also voted to reopen craft stores so that they can sell mask supplies.

Dallas County public health officials say 17 people at a homeless shelter have tested positive for the coronavirus. 

Many weren't showing symptoms when they were tested.

That's according to Dr. Philip Huang, the county’s health and human services director. He told county commissioners this morning that as many as 200 others have been at the shelter, and many of them may have been exposed. Officials have not named the shelter. 

Air National Guard Will Help The Tarrant Area Food Bank

The Tarrant Area Food Bank has asked the Air National Guard to assist with operating new, pop-up field distribution sites.

That's to manage the large spike in demand for emergency food relief.

The food bank reports a 65% increase per week over normal distribution before the coronavirus outbreak. The non-profit's currently serving a million meals a week.

The Air National Guard will pack produce bags, distribute emergency relief food boxes and also will assist with traffic control and personal safety at several drive-through locations beginning today.

Texas Hospitals Cut Back Staffing

The coronavirus outbreak is forcing various hospitals across Texas to cut back on staffing.

Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare's furloughing 3,400 employees. The move follows an earlier furlough of 500 corporate employees.

Shannon Najmabadi with the Texas Tribune told public radio's Texas Standard hospitals have been seeing fewer patients in emergency rooms and surgeries. She said she thinks the decline is partly due to the gubernational order post-poning nonessential medical procedures. 

"It's also because people are heeding health warnings and just staying out of hospitals and doctors offices as much as possible, and y'know being home more in compliance with local orders, which basically means they're getting in car accidents, and things like that, less…," Najmabadi said. 

In Northeast Texas, emergency room visits at Titus Regional Medical Center in Mount Pleasant have dropped from about 65 a day to about 25. And hospital revenue has declined more than 30%.

Thursday, April 16

Dallas County's Shelter In Place Order Now Includes A Face Covering Requirement

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins amended the county's shelter in place order to include another mandate: People over the age of 2 have to wear a mask when patronizing essential businesses or using public transportation. That includes employees of those essential businesses.

During a press conference Thursday, Jenkins emphasized that the order is for a "face covering," not necessarily medical masks, which are still in short supply.

He also said there will be no mask enforcement by police, but the order allows for businesses to refuse service to un-covered customers.

The mask requirement begins at 11:59 p.m. Friday night.

Specifically, the order now includes this text:

... to the greatest extent possible all persons over the age of two (2) shall wear some form of covering over their nose and mouth, such as a homemade mask, scarf, bandana or handkerchief, when patronizing an Essential Business or using public transportation .... Parents and Guardians of children under 10 shall be responsible for appropriately masking children pursuant to this Order. ... An owner or operator of an Essential Business may refuse admission or service to any individual who fails to wear face covering. Wearing a face covering is not a substitute for maintaining 6-feet social distancing and hand washing, as these remain important steps to slowing the spread of the virus.

Read the full order here (PDF).

Denton County Reports 17 New Cases, 1 Additional Death

A man in Denton County has died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the total to 15 deaths related to the disease in the county. The man was in his 60s and lived in Flower Mound in his 60s. He was hospitalized and is believed to have contracted COVID-19 locally.. 

County health officials are also reporting 17 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. This increases the cumulative, countywide total to 564 confirmed COVID-19 cases. 

Collin County Reports 1 Additional Death, 11 New Cases

A 93-year-old McKinney woman with COVID-19 has died at her home, reports Collin County Health Care Services. Her death marks the 11th COVID-19 death in the county. The woman also had underlying health conditions.

As of this afternoon, there have been 505 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Collin County.

Dallas County Reports 7 Additional Deaths, Brining County To 50

Dallas County Health and Human Services reports 80 additional positive cases of COVID-19 and seven new deaths, as of 10 a.m. today.

The county's total cases — all confirmed cases that have recovered or died, combined, since the start of the pandemic — now number 2,066. The county's total deaths now stand at 50.

Of the seven deaths:

• Five were men
• Two were in their 60s, three were in their 70s and two were in their 80s
• One was a resident of Garland
• Three were residents of Dallas
• Three were residents in long-term care facilities in Dallas

Of Dallas County's total death count, DCHHS reports that 69% have been male, and 17 deaths have been associated with long-term care facilities.

Of total cases requiring hospitalization, DCHHS also reports that:

• 69% have been over 60 years old or have had at least one known high-risk, chronic health condition
• 30% have had diabetes as an underlying high-risk heath condition

Black Democratic Lawmakers Want The State To Make Local Officials Collect Demographic Data On Positive COVID-19 Cases

A group of Black Democratic lawmakers in Texas is calling on state and local officials to mandate the collection of demographic data of people who've tested positive for COVID-19.

Rodney Ellis is a Harris County commissioner and a former Democratic state senator. He told public radio's Texas Standard that collecting the data helps epidemiologists better determine how to care for people in demographic groups that are more at risk.

"Many blacks work in industries where they're bus drivers, they're post people, they deliver the mail, in the service industry [and other] places where they have to come in contact with other people in order to make their ends meet, so it's more difficult to shelter in place," he said.

Blacks and Latinos are also more likely to lack health insurance in Texas.

Free Food Distribution At Fair Park Today Through Noon (Or Until Food Runs Out)

The Texas National Guard and North Texas Food Bank have returned to Fair Park this morning to distribute food.

Food will be handed through noon — or until there is nothing left. 

Participants must enter through Gate 5 of the park, located at the intersection of Robert B Cullum Boulevard and Grand Avenue.

Guests will fill out a form to put on their dashboard inside the car that includes their address, monthly income and household size. If people are picking up for another family or elderly person, they must bring that persons's utility bill or ID.

Boxed food will be placed in the trunk of participants' cars. If the trunk won't open, the food will be placed on the hood or roof of the car. It can be transferred inside when volunteers are a safe distance away.

If someone in need doesn't have access to a car, they can check the food bank's websitefor additional ways to get food.

Wednesday, April 15

Another Dallas Police Officer Tests Positive

The Dallas Police Department is reporting another officer, a background detective in the personnel division, has tested positive for COVID-19. The officer's day on the job was April 11 and is currently under quarantine.

Denton County Reports 26 New Cases

Denton County Public Health has announced 26 new cases of COVID-19 in the county and one more case in a resident at the Denton State Supported Living Center.

12 DART Employees Test Positive For COVID-19

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) announced today a total of 12 employees have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to a statement from the agency, three are hospitalized while the others self-quarantined at home. Three have already returned to work after their required two-week quarantine.

DART says they will continue enhanced cleaning protocols for buses, light rail and paratransit vehicles, as well as all DART office and maintenance facilities. 

Dallas County Reports 109 New Cases 

Dallas County Health and Human Services announced 109 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the total case count in the county to 1,986. 

A Garland woman in her 80s was the 43rd death from COVID-19. She had been hospitalized in a local hospital and did not have underlying health conditions. 

Tarrant County Reports Another Death 

A woman in her 70s is the latest in the county to die due to COVID-19, according to Tarrant County Public Health. She had underlying health conditions.  The county reported 61 new cases of the disease today.

Collin County Reports 25 New Cases

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Collin County reached 494 Wednesday after county officials announced 25 new cases of the disease. According to the county website, 284 people diagnosed in Collin County have successfully recovered from COVID-19.

Tarrant County’s New In-House Testing Means Faster Turnaround Times

Tarrant County’s public hospital system, the JPS Health Network, will now offer in-house testing, resulting in faster turnaround times for results. 

It will now take roughly an hour rather than several days for physicians to confirm a positive test result. 

The JPS Health Network is also partnering with Texas Health Resources and Cook Children’s Medical Center to combine resources. THR will share testing materials while Cook Children’s will assist JPS in processing test results when needed.

As of Monday afternoon, JPS had tested a total of 570 people: 445 were negative, 67 were positive and 58 tests are still pending results.

City of Dallas Launches COVID-19 Hotline

On Wednesday, the City of Dallas announced the debut of its COVID-19 resource and information hotline.

The automated hotline will be available 24/7 at 214-670-INFO (4636). It will offer city, county, state and federal information in English and Spanish on topics like testing locations, employment assistance and social services.

Testing Site Uses New Self-Swabbing Method

On Wednesday, the community-based testing site located at the Ellis Davis Field House will begin using self-swab testing kits in place of nasopharyngeal swabs. 

“The self-swab testing method proves to be less invasive and is safer for patients and healthcare providers,” said Randall Payton, Incident Commander of both CBTS locations. “Health and safety are the primary goals for workers and those being tested. We’re confident this new method will decrease the risk of contamination.”

The new method will allow people to swab shallowly in their nose, versus a healthcare professional gathering a sample from further up the nasal cavity. 

Dallas Police Department Announces 10th Officer Tests Positive 

Another Dallas police officer who tested positive for COVID-19 is the 10th in the department to be infected, according to the Dallas Police Department.

The officer worked at Southeast patrol and their last day on the job was April 2. The officer has been in quarantine since that date because their partner previously tested positive. Later, the officer developed symptoms and was tested on April 9.

The officer will stay at home for 14 days or more until cleared for duty by DPD’s medical team. 

Youth Prison Admissions On Hold 

Juvenile prisons in Texas will temporarily stop accepting young people from county and local jails for two weeks.

That's to try and limit the spread of coronavirus.

Youth prisons last year admitted an average of 28 new people every two weeks. Brian Sweany with the juvenile corrections department said no young person in a state prison has tested positive for the disease.

However, 236 prisoners and 97 staff members or contractors in the adult prison system have tested positive for COVID-19 as of yesterday.

More than 26,000 people in 22 prisons are now locked down to contain the virus.

Tuesday, April 14

Dallas County Confirms 10 More Deaths, Reports 89 New Cases

Dallas County Health and Human Services confirms that 10 additional people in the county with COVID-19 have died. County officials are also reporting 89 new cases of the illness, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 1,877.

There have been 42 deaths related to the illness in the county. Among the 10 additional people who have died five lived at a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas and one was in their 30s.

The 10 additional people who died were:

  • A man in his 60s who lived at a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas.­
  • A man in his 70s who lived at a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas.
  • A man in his 80s who lived at a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas.
  • A woman in her 50s who lived at a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas. 
  • A woman in her 90’s who lived at a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas.
  • A Dallas man in his 50s who had been critically ill in a local hospital.
  • Another Dallas man in his 50s who had been critically ill in a local hospital.
  • A Garland man in his 30s who had been critically ill in a local hospital.
  • A Mesquite woman in her 80s who had been hospitalized
  •  A DeSoto man in his 80s who was found deceased at home.

Tarrant Reports Four More Deaths; Collin 8 New Cases

Tarrant County Public Health announced four more residents have died due to COVID-19.

All of the patients were from Fort Worth and had underlying health conditions. One man was in his 70s, two men were in their 80s and a woman was in her 80s.

County officials also reported 53 new cases of the disease, bringing the total number in the county to 929.

Collin County reported eight new cases today. County officials said in a statement five of the positive tests recorded in the past two days were duplicates. That correction brings the total number of cases in the county to 477.

1 COVID-19 Related Death, 14 New Cases In Denton County

Denton County is reporting one additional resident has died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths related to the virus in the county to 14. Health officials said in a statement the man who died was over 80 and lived at the Denton Rehabilitation Center.

The county also announced 14 new cases of COVID-19 in Denton County. This increases the total number of cases confirmed in the county to 521.

Texas Juvenile Justice Department To Halt All New Admissions for 2 Weeks

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department announced today it will temporarily halt all new admissions to its facilities for two weeks. The decision will remain in effect through April 27, but the department said in a statement it could be extended beyond that depending on the circumstances.

Officials say the measure is intended as an additional safeguard to prevent the spread of COVID-19 though no young person in a state facility has tested positive for the virus.

“Our partnership with the local juvenile probation departments has been essential to limiting the spread of COVID-19,” Executive Director Camille Cain said. “By working together, we have continued to implement the best options to keep all of our youth safe.”

U.S. Secretary Of Transportation Announces Nearly $812 Million In Aid For Texas Airports 

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced on Tuesday that 210 airports in Texas will receive nearly $812 million in aid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The money is being awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration to help respond to the coronavirus. The grant funding is part of theCoronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program.

“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs,” said Chao.

Mobile Pantry Returns To Fair Park 

The North Texas Food Bank and Texas National Guard, among other community partners, are working together to distribute free food in Fair Park on April 16. 

The distribution will take place on Thursday, April 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or until all the food is distributed. Guests are asked to not start lining up before 8 a.m. Vehicles will not be allowed to enter the Fair Park grounds until 8:15 a.m. or later.

The pick-up location will be in Lots 5A and 6A, located in between Robert B Cullum Boulevard and 2nd Avenue inside Fair Park. Participants should enter through Gate 5 only, located at the intersection of Robert B Cullum Boulevard and Grand Avenue.

The mobile pantry will only serve drive-through clients and will not accommodate walk-up clients. Guests will be asked to fill out an intake form, which will determine how many of boxes of food they will receive. 

Dallas County Judge Will Announce At Least 10 More Deaths

During an interview with The Texas Tribune’s Patrick Svitek on Tuesday morning, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the county will announce at least 10 new deaths and “a lot of new illnesses” at a 10 a.m. press conference.

“Every one of those is a person with a family, so that gives concern,” Jenkins said. He added that the county appears to be flattening its curve. “That's giving us cause for optimism and hope,” Jenkins said. “But we’re in the middle, we’re not in the end, so we have to stay focused. ... Don’t let up now.”

Jenkins said it was too early to tell whether the city would extend its stay-at-home order, which is set to expire on April 30. Jenkins said he’ll make a decision as the date nears.

Medication Abortion Allowed In Texas During Coronavirus Outbreak

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals says medication abortions can be administered during the coronavirus outbreak, which is the latest development in a legal dispute over Texas state officials’ attempt to ban abortions. 

The Texas Tribune reports hundreds of abortions in Texas have been canceled since the procedure was banned as part of an executive order from the governor. 

Gov. Abbott and the state attorney general said their goal was to cancel all elective procedures to preserve personal protective equipment, like masks and gloves, for a possible surge in COVID-19 patients.

However, abortion providers accused state officials of exploiting the public health crisis. They argue abortion doesn't usually require hospitalization or extensive protective gear. 

Two Additional TSA Workers Test Positive At DFW Airport

Two more Transportation Security Administration workers at DFW Airport have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Dallas Morning News reports both were TSA screeners. One last worked the C-21 terminal April 8th from 12:30 to 9 p.m. The other last worked March 31st at the A-21 checkpoint from 4:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Five TSA workers in all have tested positive.

The TSA has already shut down eight of its 13 checkpoints at DFW because of the huge drop in airline traffic 

Monday, April 13

Today's COVID-19 Totals From North Texas' 4 Biggest Counties

There are 19 new cases of COVID-19 in Collin County today. That brings the total to 472. There have been 10 confirmed deaths in the county.

Denton County Public Health has announced 25 new cases of COVID-19. This increases the countywide total to 507. A total of 53 residents of Denton State Supported Living Center have now tested positive.

Officials in Dallas county report 65 new cases of COVID-19; and the 32nd death.

The Dallas woman was in her 80s, was a resident of a long-term care facility and had underlying health conditions. Dallas county now has nearly 1,800 cases of COVID-19.

Tarrant county reports 70 new cases today for a total of 876.

Dallas County Reports 65 Additional Cases 

Dallas County Health and Human Services announced 65 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total case count in the county to 1,788. 

The 32nd death due to COVID-19 was a woman in her 80s who was a resident at a long-term care facility in the city of Dallas. She had underlying health conditions and was critically ill at the hospital. 

“Today’s numbers may be artificially low due to some labs being closed yesterday,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. “#SaferAtHome is working because the vast majority of the people of North Texas are making good personal responsibility decisions. Keep it up and together we will #FlattenTheCurve.” 

Gov. Abbott Announces $50 Million In Small Business Loans 

Governor Abbott announced on Monday that Goldman Sachs and LiftFund are partnering to offer $50 million in loans to small businesses across the state that have been hit by the coronavirus. 

"Small businesses and their employees are at the heart of the Texas economy, and they need support during these difficult times,” Abbott said. “These loans will help us revitalize our economy and restore Texans’ livelihoods as we respond to COVID-19.” 

Abbott was joined by Janie Barrera, president and CEO of LiftFund, and John Waldron, president and COO of Goldman Sachs, through videoconferencing. 

Dallas County Commissioner Says His District Suffers Financially

John Wiley Price, the Dallas County Commissioner Of District 3, said his district — including southern Dallas and some of the county's poorest neighborhoods — are suffering financially because of business closures due to COVID-19. 

“My district is challenged with everything from internet deserts to food deserts to housing deserts,” he said. “It’s the same 5 zip codes I’ve talked about for the last 20 yrs here. It’s all the chronic illnesses. It’s all the challenges. We’re at the bottom rung of the ladder. If America catches cold we catch pneumonia.”

The commissioner said a lot of these problems stem from long standing racism.

Price did manage to get pawnshops and check-cashing businesses reopened.

But Dallas County's shelter-in-place order remains in effect through April 30th. Public health officials have indicated an extension may be needed to help keep local hospitals from being overwhelmed with patients. 

Sunday, April 12

McKinney Man With COVID-19 Dies

Collin County health officials are confirming that an 84-year-old McKinney man with COVID-19 and underlying health conditions died last night in his home. This is the eighth death related to COVID-19 in the county.

Collin County Health Care Services is reporting 12 new cases today. There have now been 453 cases of the disease among county residents. Officials say 254 people in Collin County have successfully recovered from COVID-19.

Gov. Abbott Extends COVID-19 Disaster Declaration For All Texas Counties

Gov. Greg Abbott today is extending his original COVID-19 Disaster Declaration to all Texas counties. Originally issued on March 13th, the Disaster Declaration provides a number of resources to serve Texans and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Dallas County Reports 79 New Cases, 4 More Deaths

Dallas County is reporting 79 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 1,723. Four additional people have also died from the disease bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 31.

County health officials said in a statement, all four of the people who died had been critically ill in local hospitals and had underlying health conditions. The deceased were a woman in her 60s who lived at a Garland long-term care facility, a man in his 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in Richardson, a man in his 80s who lived at a Dallas long-term care facility and a Dallas man in his 60s. 

Tarrant County Reports 22 New Cases

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Tarrant County reached 806 today after county health officials reported 22 new cases. There have been 25 deaths related to the disease in the county.

8 New COVID-19 Cases in Denton County

Denton County health officials are reporting eight new cases of COVID-19. This increases the countywide total to 482 confirmed cases. There have been 13 deaths related to the disease in the county.

Texas Tops 13,000 Cases

As of Sunday morning, the number of COVID-19 cases in Texas topped 13,000. At least 273 people in the state have died from the virus. 

Over 3,300 cases of the disease have been confirmed in North Texas and at least 72 people in the area have died from the disease.

There have been over 500,000 cases reported across the U.S. and over 20,000 deaths.

Crime

Earlier this week, Gov. Greg Abbott Drops Around The World As COVID-19 Keeps People Inside

The coronavirus pandemic that has crippled big-box retailers and mom and pop shops worldwide may be making a dent in illicit business, too.

In Chicago, one of America’s most violent cities, drug arrests have plummeted 42% in the weeks since the city shut down, compared with the same period last year. Part of that decrease, some criminal lawyers say, is that drug dealers have no choice but to wait out the economic slump.

“The feedback I’m getting is that they aren’t able to move, to sell anything anywhere,” said Joseph Lopez, a criminal lawyer in Chicago who represents reputed drug dealers.

Still, law enforcement officials worry about a surge of unreported domestic violence, and what happens when restrictions lift — or go on too long.

Read the full story from the Associated Press.

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