COVID-19 In DFW Oct. 18-24: Health Officials Warn Dallas County Could See Higher Case Numbers

KERA | By KERA News

Published October 24, 2020 at 8:30 PM CDT

Dallas County has raised its COVID-19 risk level back to red, the highest level, which advises residents to stay home. This week, the county's top health official told county commissioners that key indicators, like hospitalizations, are trending in the wrong direction.

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

Saturday, Oct. 24

Tarrant County Reports 775 New Cases, 4 Deaths

The county now has had 63,150 cases and 717 deaths. The county reports 775 new cases and 4 deaths.

778 Cases Reported In Dallas County

Dallas County added another 778 cases, making a total of 92,845 confirmed cases.

One death is reported, a Balch Springs woman in her 60s who had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying conditions.

125 New Cases In Denton County

Denton County Public Health is reporting 125 new cases. The countywide total is now 16,054.

Collin County Reports 168 New Cases

Collin County is reporting another 168 cases, making the total now 17,611. No new death have been reported.

Friday, Oct. 23

612 New Cases, Four Deaths In Dallas County

Dallas County now has 92,197 cases and 1,097 total deaths from COVID-19. The four deaths included a man in his 50s from Dallas, a man in his 60s from Dallas, a man in his 80s from Seagoville, and a woman in her 80s from Dallas.

A provisional total of 406 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-aged children (5 to 17 years old) for the week ending on Oct. 10. That is twice the number of children diagnosed in the same age group four weeks before that, during the week ending on Sept. 12.

Denton County Has 207 New Cases

The 207 cases increases the countywide total to 15,929. Denton County also reported 94 newly recovered cases of COVID-19, increasing the countywide recovery total to 13,135.

A free drive-thru COVID-19 testing center is being offered Tuesday, October 27 at Hawaiian Falls at 4400 Paige Rd in The Colony.

One Death, 848 Cases Reported In Tarrant County

The deceased was a man from Fort Worth in his 60s. The county now has 713 confirmed deaths and 50,328 people have recovered.

Another 848 cases were reported today in the area.

195 New Cases In Collin County

Another 195 cases were reported, bringing the countywide total to 17,443. A total of 175 deaths and 16,568 recoveries have been reported to date.

Funds Available For Special Education Services

Later this year, eligible Texas families can apply for up to $1,500 dollars to help pay for special education services during the pandemic. They include tutoring, therapy, and digital resources. The Texas Education Agency announced the program this week, aimed at assisting students with certain disabilities.

"So this was really meant to identify a need, which is, we've got roughly 59,000 eligible students statewide,” said Frank Ward, the TEA’s director of media relations.

The Association of Texas Professional Educators criticized the program on Thursday saying it's similar to past voucher program proposals that have "been consistently rejected by Texas lawmakers.”

3 Million Flu Vaccines Made Available To Help Alleviate Potential Strain On Health System

The state's secured nearly 3 million doses of a free flu vaccine to distribute across the state. The governor said by decreasing flu illnesses, hospitalizations and fatalities, health care providers can focus their resources on COVID-19 patients.

Those eligible to receive the free vaccines include children and adults who're uninsured or underinsured, and people at high risk of getting COVID-19.

More information about eligibility and a provider finder is at dshs.texas.gov.

Thursday, Oct. 22

Tarrant County Reports 732 New Cases

There are 732 new cases in the area, bringing the total to 61,527. There have been 712 deaths and 49,949 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.

Two deaths were reported today, including an Arlington man in his 80s and a Fort Worth woman in her 40s. Both had underlying health conditions.

Dallas County Reports 435 New Cases

There are 435 additional cases in the area, 84 of which are probable cases. Of the 351 confirmed cases reported today, 291 came from the state’s electronic reporting system that has been experiencing a backlog. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said residents need to “act now” to stop the increase in cases and hospitalizations:

“We continue to see an increase in the number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases as well as an increase in our hospitalizations.

We are back to the mid-August numbers for hospitalizations and that increase is placing a strain on our local hospitals, especially on their staff who have been tirelessly responding to COVID since March. The projections are that these numbers will keep increasing which is why we must act now to stop the spread.”

Three deaths were reported today:

A Garland man in his 50s.
A Mesquite woman in 70s.
A Dallas man in his 90s.

124 New Cases In Denton County

Another 124 cases in the area brings the total to 15,722. There have been 117 newly-recovered cases in the area, raising the total to 13,041.

A free drive-thru testing center will be available on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Hawaiian Falls at 4400 Paige Rd in The Colony. 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 a.m.

Collin County Reports 126 New Cases

There are 126 additional cases, increasing the total to 17,248. There have been 16,450 people who have recovered from the virus in the area and 167 who are hospitalized.

American Airlines Reports $3.6 B Loss In 3rd Quarter, Calls For Federal Aid

American Airlines this morning reported a 3rd quarter loss of $3.6 billion dollars. Revenues are down 73% compared to last year.

CEO Doug Parker's again calling for Congress to extend the payroll protection program.

"There's enormous bipartisan support for an extension, but unfortunately our elected officials haven't been able to get it enacted," he said. "So without the extension, we had to furlough 19,000 of our team members on October 1 and we discontinued service to numerous markets around the country."

Parker said customer confidence is gradually returning, but American needs that extra federal aid to support employees and offset losses.

Exxon Mobil To Make Layoffs

Exxon Mobil plans to lay off an unspecified number of employees and delay major projects.

The Dallas Morning News reports an email from CEO Darren Woods to staff yesterday blamed ongoing low oil prices.

Exxon Mobil planned job cuts is just the latest sign of struggle among U.S. energy producers.

Earlier this month, Irving-based Pioneer Natural Resources laid off about 300 employees. Rivals such as BP and Chevron have also announced large layoffs in recent weeks.

Wednesday, Oct. 21

Dallas County Reports 589 New Cases, Two Deaths

The two deaths were of a man in his 70s who was living in a long-term care facility in Dallas, and a woman in her 90s from Cedar Hill. Dallas County has had 91,313 total cases, and hospitalization rates are rising.

"Today’s numbers continue an increase in the number of COVID-19 positive cases that we’re seeing in both confirmed (PCR) and probable (antigen) tests," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said. "We are seeing an increase in COVID-19 bed utilization at our hospitals and we are back to the highest numbers that we’ve seen since August in four of our hospital systems."

One Death Reported in Tarrant County

The deceased was a man from Haltom City in his 70s. Tarrant County now has 710 confirmed deaths and 49,544 people have recovered.

169 New Cases in Denton County

Denton County announced 169 new cases, increasing the cumulative total to 15,598. DCPH There have been 97 newly recovered cases of COVID-19 reported, increasing the countywide recovery total to 12,925.

74 New Cases In Collin County

Collin County reported 74 new cases, bringing the total to 17,122. There was also one additional death, bringing that total to 173, and there have been 16,359 recoveries in the county.

Fort Worth ISD's Youngest Students Will Return To In-Person Classes Soon

The Fort Worth school district is phasing its youngest students back into the classroom.

District officials fear students will miss out on important aspects of early childhood education.

Tuesday, Superintendent Kent Scribner said 85% of students in the district come from homes at or below the poverty line.

"We've outlined those zip codes that have the highest percentage of households with children, so homes where our students live that do not have robust broadband or internet access, and working with our philanthropic community, with our business leaders, with our elected officials," Scribner said. "We hope to be able to invest in digital towers and blanket our 209 square miles with a much more equitable access to the internet."

Scribner spoke during a livestream hosted by Children at Risk, a nonprofit organization that advocates for children in Texas.

Tarrant County Adds Polling Locations

After strong voter turnout, Tarrant County will open eight more polling locations on the last two days of early voting.

County Judge Glen Whitley said that's typically the busiest time for early voting.

"We want to get as many out to vote certainly during the early voting, Whitley said. "And hopefully that will mean that the lines aren't going to be as long."

The additional polling sites will open Oct. 29 and 30.

They include three locations in Fort Worth, as well as sites in Arlington, Benbrook, Bedford and Mansfield.

A analysis by The Texas Tribune finds that about 300,000 Tarrant County voters have cast ballots so far — and about a quarter of registered voters have already voted.

Tuesday, Oct. 20

Health Officials Warn Dallas County Could See Higher Case Numbers

Dallas County has raised its COVID-19 risk level back to red, the highest level, which advises residents to stay home.

Dr. Philip Huang is the director of Dallas County Health and Human Services. He told county commissioners that key indicators, like the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, are trending in the wrong direction.

"And what we see is that these can take off really quickly and sort of explosively if we don't try to catch it early," Huang said.

Another 510 positive cases were reported Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to 90,790. Four deaths were also reported: a man in his 30s from Dallas; a man in his 60s from Richardson; a woman in her 70s who lived in a long-term care facility in Dallas; and a man in his 70s who was also a resident of a long-term care facility in Dallas.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins points to a forecast from UT Southwestern Medical Center, which predicts the county will see daily case counts of around 1,000 by October 30. That happens to be the last day of in-person early voting in Texas. Jenkins encourages voters to cast their ballots soon instead of waiting.

Six Deaths Reported In Tarrant County; Cases Now More Than 60,000

The six deaths include a man from Arlington in his 90s, a man from Fort Worth in his 70s, a man from Arlington in his 70s, a man from Watauga in his 70s, a man from Euless in his 50s and a woman from Arlington in her 30s. The county now has 709 confirmed deaths. Another 500 positive cases were reported, bringing that total to 60,162.

Denton County Reports 144 New Cases

The 144 cases increases the countywide total to 15,429. Health officials also reported 99 newly recovered cases of COVID-19, increasing the countywide recovery total to 12,828.

A free drive-thru COVID-19 testing center is being offered on Friday at University of North Texas’ Discovery Park at 3940 N. Elm St in Denton.

Collin County Cases Top 17,000

Another 111 cases were reported in Collin County, bringing that total to 17,048 positive cases. There have been 16,275 recoveries in the county.

DART Restores Most Routes To Pre-Pandemic Service Levels

Dallas Area Rapid Transit slashed bus, train and light-rail service when the coronavirus hit. But DART spokesperson Mark Ball says things now are nearly back to normal.

It was a big return for us, that included about 65 bus routes that went back up to 100% of their original service level and the Trinity Rail Express, the TRE, did the same," Ball said. "It’s back to 100% pre-pandemic service level. We have 48 bus routes in the system that will remain on the current modified schedule."

Seven high-volume bus routes and all of the light rail lines are now running every 20 minutes until 7pm — which is actually more frequent than before COVID hit. That’s to improve social distancing on the busiest routes.

Masks are still required — and DART is still using stepped up cleaning procedures.

City Of Dallas Gives Over $4 Million In Pandemic Relief To Arts Groups

The City of Dallas is giving $4.8 million in funding to 34 nonprofit arts groups through the Cultural Organization Program.

It's an effort to provide relief from economic tensions caused by the pandemic.

Jennifer Scripps is the director of the city’s Office of Arts and Culture.

"The groups are working to try to figure out what works best for their audiences and they way they want to deliver their art form, but slowly and surely the arts are reopening," Scripps said.

A number of museums and cultural centers in Dallas are already back in business.

The Office of Arts and Culture is working on website showing what spaces are open and the safety precautions in place at each.

Airlines Starting To See More Passengers

Over a million travelers passed through airport security checkpoints on Sunday — a significant increase in air travel since April.

But The Dallas Morning News reports that's only 40% of the passengers traveling through airports at this time last year.

Daily traffic numbers from the Transportation Security Administration show a spike in weekend travel, with flights being dominated by leisure travelers.

However, airline executives say it could be five to six years before business travel recovers to pre-pandemic levels.

Monday, Oct. 19

Dallas County Reports 382 New Cases

Another 382 cases in the area brings the total to 90,318. Of the cases reported today, 331 are confirmed cases and 263 came through the state’s electronic reporting system that has been experiencing a backlog. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the county is seeing an “increase in COVID-19 cases in our hospitals and in positive testing”:

“We’re seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases in our hospitals and in positive testing and now is a critical time for us to get the numbers going back in the right direction. We know what we need to do, we just need to do it. Wear your mask and avoid crowds. Maintain six-foot distancing and use good hand-washing practices.”

No deaths have been reported today.

153 New Cases, 1 Death In Denton County

An additional 153 cases raises the total to 15,285. There have also been 107 newly-recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 12,729.

One man in his 50s who was incarcerated in Denton County Jail was reported dead today.

Tarrant County Reports 388 New Cases

There are 388 additional cases in the county, increasing the total to 59,622. There have been 703 deaths and 48,930 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.

Texas gained Over 10K Jobs Last Month, But Dallas Fed Still Expects 4.2% Drop In Jobs This Year

The Dallas Federal Reserve released an updated Texas Employment Forecast, showing the state gained 10,500 jobs last month.

It also forecasts that jobs in Texas will decline 4.2% this year. That's improved slightly since August.

Keith Phillips, the Dallas Fed Assistant Vice President, said the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the state threatens to slow recovery in the fourth quarter.

Tyler & Waxahachie Schools Will Return To In-Person Learning

While several Texas school districts still offer remote learning during the pandemic, other school systems like Tyler and Waxahachie want students go back to campus.

Both school districts are among a growing list of Texas districts putting an end to distance learning. Some smaller districts in South and East Texas pulled the plug on virtual learning several weeks ago.

Tyler superintendent Marty Crawford told public radio's Texas Standard teachers have been asking to bring back in-person learning because students are falling behind.

"After the first six weeks we had 60% of our students that were learning at home that were failing," Crawford said. "And we were also 4,000 meals down per day."

Crawford also says lack of accessibility to WiFi connections has been an obstacle for remote learning.

Tyler students have to return to school in-person by Nov. 2.

Also citing poor attendance and academic performance by remote learners, the Waxahachie Independent School District says students must be back in the classroom next month as well.

Waxahachie students are required report to school Nov. 2 — unless they have a verifiable medical condition or live with someone who does.

In a letter to families posted on the district's website, parents who don't want their child to return have several options: They can transfer to a district still offering virtual learning, find a separate online program or withdraw their student altogether and homeschool.

About 1 in 5 Waxahachie students have been learning remotely.

El Paso Sees Biggest COVID-19 Hospitalization Numbers

Officials say the El Paso area has reported its highest number of hospitalizations due to the coronavirus since the pandemic began.

AP News reports, El Paso health officials said Sunday that a record high 449 hospitalizations were reported for Saturday, with 129 of those patients in intensive care.

The Texas Department of Health and Human Services reports that the El Paso area has only seven intensive care unit beds available.

The increase in hospitalizations and cases prompted El Paso officials last week to implement tighter restrictions to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Also, Gov. Greg Abbott is sending doctors, nurses and supplies to hospitals there.

Joel Osteen Welcomes Congregation Back To Houston Megachurch

One of the nation's largest megachurches has resumed in-person services in Texas. Lakewood Church in Houston has been holding online services during the pandemic. But on Sunday, the megachurch run by Joel Osteen opened at 25% capacity under new city guidelines.

AP news reports, those attending had to wear masks and socially distance inside the church's cavernous arena, once the home of the Houston Rockets. People had to sign up online to attend.

Osteen told those in attendance that he had missed seeing them in person. Under the city guidelines, about 4,000 people were allowed to attend each service Sunday. The arena usually holds up to 16,000.

Sunday, Oct. 18

Texas COVID-19 Hospitalizations Are Climbing Again. Is Another Surge On The Horizon?

A statewide rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations suggests a third surge may be on the way in Texas.

Coronavirus hospitalizations in Texas plateaued in early September at slightly around 3,000, then began climbing again on Sept. 20.

More than 4,200 Texans are now in the hospital with COVID-19.