Case numbers are consistent with previous weeks while the Texas DSHS continues to report cases from their backlog.
Get the latest news from our COVID-19 Live Updates page.
Saturday, Sept. 26
Dallas County Elections Department Awarded Over $15 Million Leading Up To November Election
The Dallas County Elections Department has been awarded a $15 million grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) to support voting preparations leading up to the November election.
The grant will be used to hire more staff, purchase additional voting and mail-in ballot sorting equipment, increase the number of available voting locations and provide sanitation and PPE equipment for poll workers and voters.
Toni Pippins-Poole, Dallas County’s elections administrator, said the CTCL grant will ensure that citizens will be able to vote safely and that their votes will be counted.
Read the full story here.
415 New Cases In Dallas County, 2 More Deaths
Dallas County reported a total of 415 new COVID-19 cases today, and two more deaths related to the disease. That total includes 373 confirmed and 42 probable cases.
Of the 373 new confirmed cases, 171 are from previous months and are just now being reported because of the backlog in the state’s system.
The cumulative confirmed case count in Dallas County is 80,978 including 1,017 confirmed deaths.
Tarrant County COVID Dashboard Shows 262 New Cases; 8 More Deaths
Tarrant' County's COVID-19 dashboard shows 262 new case today and eight additional deaths. This brings the cumulative total of cases in the county to 49,159, including 653 deaths.
Denton County Reporting 35 New Cases
Denton County reported 35 new confirmed COVID-19 cases. This increases the cumulative, countywide total to 11,985 confirmed cases, including 109 deaths.
42 New Cases, 4 More Deaths In Collin County
Collin County's COVID-19 dashboard shows 42 new cases in the county today and four additional deaths. There have been a total of 13,513 cases confirmed countywide, including 145 deaths.
Friday, Sept. 25
Dallas County Reports 295 New Cases for September, 884 From Previous Months
Dallas County reported a total of 1,181 new cases today. Of those, 1,179 are confirmed and two are probable. Of the 1,179 newly confirmed cases, 884 were from previous months and are just now being reported due to the state's backlog.
There have been 80,605 cumulative confirmed cases in Dallas County, including 1,016 confirmed deaths.
89 New Cases In Denton County
Denton County Public Health (DCPH) announced 89 new laboratory-confirmed cases, increasing the countywide total to 11,950. DCPH also reported 53 newly recovered cases of COVID-19, increasing the countywide recovery total to 10,270.
DCPH is providing a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing center on Tuesday at Westside Baptist Church at 900 Bellaire Blvd. in Lewisville. Pre-registration is required and appointments are available starting at 8 AM. To pre-register, call DCPH at 940-349-2585.
Tarrant County Reports Two More Deaths
Tarrant County Public Health reported two COVID-19 deaths. The deceased include a man from Arlington in his 80s, and a woman from Fort Worth in her 60s. There are now has 645 confirmed deaths from the COVID-19 virus and 42,772 people have recovered in the county.
161 New Cases In Collin County
There have now been 13,471 cases reported in Collin County. There have been 141 reported deaths and 12,480 recoveries in the county.
Infectious Diseases Expert Dr. Peter Hotez Worries A Third Peak Is Coming
The lead expert on infectious diseases and vaccines at Baylor College of Medicine believes another surge in COVID-19 cases could be on the way, especially as students return to school.
Dr. Peter Hotez said he blames the White House for not having an appropriate COVID-19 response on the national level and its messaging.
“You’ve seen what’s gone terribly wrong with opening up the colleges. We don’t have the advocacy here in Houston," he said. "You know, when I’m taking a walk in the neighborhood with my wife, I don’t see people with face masks on. It’s business as usual, and we could have a resurgence, a third peak that’s potentially worse than the one we just went through this Summer.”
Hotez spoke yesterday during the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin.
Trial On Arkema Chemical Fire Resumes After Pandemic Delay
A trial over the Arkema chemical plant fire during Hurricane Harvey has resumed.
That fire in Crosby northeast of Houston sent toxic smoke into the air in 2017. Charges against Arkema and two of its employees accuse them of releasing the pollutants.
The trial resumed yesterday after a six month delay because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Thursday, Sept. 24
Dallas County Reports 704 Cases, 3 Deaths
Of the 704 cases reported today, 160 were from September. The three deaths reported today include: a Dallas woman in her 60s, a Dallas woman in her 70s and a Carrollton woman in her 90s.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said improvement has stopped but there haven’t been increases in the 7 or 14 day period numbers. Still, he said the number of cases in Texas last week surpassed that of California.
587 New Cases In Tarrant County
There are 587 additional cases in the county, bringing the total to 48,504. Of the 587 cases reported today, 286 are due to a reporting backlog.
Two deaths were reported today, including a Benbrook woman in her 90s and an Arlington man in his 90s. Both had underlying health conditions.
Denton County Reports 91 New Cases
Another 91 cases in the area raises the total to 11,861. There have been 63 newly-recovered cases, increasing the countywide total to 10,217.
A free drive-thru testing center will be available on September 29 at Westside Baptist Church at 900 Bellaire Blvd. in Lewisville. Eligible community members are those who are residents of Denton County who pre-register and have not previously tested positive for COVID-19. Pre-registration is required and appointments are available starting at 8 a.m. To pre-register, call DCPH at 940-349-2585.
100 New Cases In Collin County
There are 100 additional cases in the area, raising the total to 13,310. There have been 141 deaths and 12,363 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.
North Texas Airline Executives Push For $25 Billion Payroll Support
Airline executives in North Texas continue pushing lawmakers for another $25 billion in payroll support amid the coronavirus pandemic.
They warn of major job losses without that relief.
CEO Doug Parker told MSNBC American Airlines will furlough 19,000 employees October 1 if Congress doesn't extend the payroll support program.
"This was a program that was put into place with the CARES act back in March; it's been incredibly successful,” Parker said. “The point of the program is to provide funds to keep all of our team members employed, to keep all of the employees of the airline employed."
Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told CNBC there's broad support in Congress to extend the support program for several months.
"So we're very hopeful that they can come to an agreement and get that passed and help the economy, and obviously help the travel industry,” Kelly said.
First Federal Execution In Texas To Proceed
The U.S. government's set to execute Christopher Vialva tonight for a 1999 double murder in Texas.
If it proceeds, Vialva’s death will be the first federal execution for a Texas case this year. It'll also take place during a pandemic.
Several state executions in Texas have been taken off the calendar because of coronavirus.
Vialva's crime was deemed federal instead of state because it happened on a secluded part of the Fort Hood Army base in Killeen.
Wednesday, Sept. 23
Dallas County Reports 348 New COVID Cases
Of the 348 confirmed cases reported by Dallas County, 20 of these were from previous months. Two more deaths were reported: a Dallas man in his 50s and a Dallas man in his 70s, bringing the total death count to 1,002.
Health officials also said a provisional total of 179 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-age children (5 to 17 years old) for the week ending Sept. 12, an increase from the previous week for this age group. The percentage of cases occurring in young adults aged 18 to 22 has increased 14% for the month of September.
68 New COVID Cases In Denton County
The county reported 68 new cases, increasing the cumulative countywide total to 11,770 confirmed cases. Denton County Public Health also reported 69 recoveries, bringing that total to 10,154 for the county.
DCPH is also providing a free drive-thru testing center on Friday at the University of North Texas' Discovery Park, 3940 N. Elm Street in Denton. Eligible community members are those who are residents of Denton County who pre-register and have not previously tested positive for COVID-19. Pre-registration is required and appointments are available starting at 8 AM. To pre-register, call DCPH at 940-349-2585.
Tarrant County Reports Five More Deaths
Tarrant County Public Health reported five COVID-19 deaths. The deceased include a woman from Bedford in her 90s, a man from Fort Worth in his 80s, a man from Fort Worth in his 60s, and a man and woman from Fort Worth in their 50s.
There have now been 641 confirmed deaths and 41,788 people have recovered.
Collin County Reports 150 More Cases
There were 150 cases reported in Collin County, bringing the total number of confirmed positive cases to 13,210 in the county. There have been 12,241 reported recoveries and 141 deaths.
Faculty Want More Transparency On College COVID Case Counts
The Texas Faculty Association is calling on Governor Greg Abbott to require colleges and universities to release the number of coronavirus cases on their campuses to the public each week. Pat Heintzelman is president of the group and said most universities do have a policy of informing instructors if one of their students tests positive for COVID-19.
"However faculty are reporting that that's not always the case," she said. "The way they find out they have a student is the student contacts them and either asks for longer time to complete an assignment or report why they're not in class."
Heintzleman adds the governor should do more to protect the health of faculty, students, and staff at universities.
Texas Oil And Gas Companies Say Business Is Still Slowing Down
Oil prices will probably continue to trade below $45 a barrel for the rest of the year, according to a federal survey of 150-plus oil and gas companies in the state. Companies are focused on maintaining production, paying off debt, and finding new capital over the next six months, but those lower prices could make things difficult.
Most companies told the Fed prices need to go higher than that for rig counts to go up substantially. Also notable, just over 65 percent surveyed say U.S. oil production has already peaked.
Fort Worth ISD Delays In-Person Classes
After a marathon meeting, the Fort Worth school board decided to delay the beginning of in-person instruction for two weeks for kindergarten through 8th grade. In-person learning will now begin Oct. 19. High school students will follow a hybrid schedule with virtual and in-class learning.
Tuesday, Sept. 22
Dallas County Reaches 1,000 Deaths Related To COVID-19
Dallas County reported three additional deaths related to COVID-19 today, bringing the death toll countywide to 1,000. The county also reported 172 new cases today, three of those are from previous months.
There have been a total of 78,377 cases confirmed countywide.
2 Deaths, 95 New Cases In Denton County
Two deaths were reported today, including: a Denton woman in her 70s who was a resident of Mayberry Gardens and a Denton man in his 50s.
There have been 95 new cases, raising the total to 11,702. There have also been 104 newly-recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 10,085.
Tarrant County Reports 302 New Cases
There have been 302 additional cases in the area, bringing the total to 47,533. There have been three deaths reported today: a Fort Worth woman in her 80s, an Arlington man in his 70s and a Fort Worth woman in her 60s. All of the patients had underlying health conditions.
Richardson Arts Grants Slashed By 50%
Funding for Richardson cultural arts grants has been cut in half.
The Dallas Morning News reports the hotel-motel tax fund that makes the grants possible has taken a hit because of the pandemic.
The Richardson City Council approved $180,000 in grants for arts organizations in the area.
That money will assist with operating expenses and regular programming.
Fort Worth School Board To Discuss When Students And Teachers Will Return To In-Person Classrooms
The Fort Worth school board today will reconsider when students and teachers return to the classroom.
A 5-to-4 vote last week approved October 5 as the date to return to in-person learning.
But the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports one board member has requested a new vote to extend online-classes through October 30, with in-person learning beginning November 2.
The school board’s potential flip-flop prompted a group of community leaders, led by Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, to weigh in against the extension. Their letter released to the Star-Telegram Editorial Board argued for kids to return to school.
Meanwhile, parents who began an online petition for an in-person learning option for students had nearly 3,000 signatures by yesterday. Organizers plan to share results and comments at today's meeting.
Learn More:
- What should I know about coronavirus? Get information from the CDC.
- What's been happening locally, statewide and nationally? Check out special coverage from NPR, PBS and the public radio stations in The Texas Newsroom: KERA for North Texas (including quick daily updates below); KUT in Austin; Houston Public Media; Texas Public Radioin San Antonio; and Marfa Public Radio.
- How can I help others or find help for my family? The KERA Helps Tool connects you to funds, nonprofits, agencies and organizations working to help people in need.
- How's coronavirus affecting North Texans on the financial edge? Take an in-depth look at our new series, "One Crisis Away: Coronavirus And Life On The Financial Edge."
Monday, Sept. 21
Dallas County Reports 327 New Cases, 2 Deaths
There have been 327 additional cases in the area, bringing the total to 78,205. Of the 316 reported cases today, 177 came through the state’s electronic reporting system which has been experiencing a backlog.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said deaths today are a reminder that the virus can be deadly for everyone, from teenagers to the elderly. He urged residents to continue wearing their masks and social distancing:
“The deaths today are of two people in their 50’s which is an important reminder that COVID-19 can be deadly in middle-aged populations. We’ve seen deadly cases in teenagers up through people in their 90’s and this does not account for people on ventilators or with very serious illnesses.
This is a critical reason why it’s important that we all practice one hundred percent masking and at least six-foot social distancing as well as washing hands, avoiding unnecessary trips, and avoiding indoor activities where people are not masked one hundred percent of the time.”
Two deaths have been reported today:
- A Dallas man in his 50s.
- A Dallas woman in her 50s.
106 New Cases In Denton County
An additional 106 cases brings the total to 11,607. There have been 112 newly-recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 9,982.
A free drive-thru testing site will be open on Friday, Sept. 25. Pre-registration is required and appointments are available starting at 8 a.m. The testing center will be held at University of North Texas’ Discovery Park at 3940 N. Elm Street.
Eligible community members are those who have had symptoms of COVID-19 within the past seven days, essential employees, individuals 60 years and older, as well as individuals who have had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19. All community members must call to pre-register for testing at 940-349-2585.
Tarrant County Reports 333 New Cases
There are 333 more cases in the county, raising the total to 47,231. There have been 633 deaths and 41,306 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.
45 New Cases In Collin County
Another 45 cases brings the total to 13,011. There have been 137 deaths and 11,993 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.
Texas Businesses Increase Capacity To 75%, Nursing Homes Reopen
Many businesses across Texas today can accommodate more customers today. That's part of the Governor's latest move to reopen the state's economy.
Retail stores, restaurants and office buildings can increase from 50% to 75%.
Hospitals can offer elective procedures again and nursing homes can reopen for visitations under certain standards.
The new reopening rules don't apply, though, to the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo and Victoria. The Governor said those regions remain “in the danger zone", places where coronavirus patients make up 15% or more of all hospitalizations.
Bars also remain closed, but Greg Abbott last week said the state's looking for ways to let bars reopen safely.
Dallas ISD Superintendent Says Lower Enrollment Is Concerning
Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said that lower enrollment this year remains his biggest disappointment so far since school resumed in this pandemic.
He’s especially concerned about the youngest students.
“We’re missing 11,000 students and 4,000 of them are pre-k. One of our strategic initiatives is full day pre-k for 4 year olds and half-day for 3 year-olds,” he said. “We had a door-to-door knocking strategy we were going to get all those kids. And we met our target and exceeded our target every year. This year that number is our biggest delta and I don't know if we’ll be able to overcome that part."
Hinojosa said the sooner students are exposed to learning, the better off they are in the long run. Fewer students means fewer dollars to the district, because state education money follows each student.
Hinojosa and several North Texas superintendents discussed their challenges during the pandemic in a Friday session sponsored by the Dallas Regional Chamber.
Sunday, Sept. 20
Dallas County Reports 771 New Cases
There are 771 additional cases in the area, bringing the total to 77,889. Of the 771 new cases reported today, 572 came through the state’s electronic reporting system that has been experiencing a backlog.
The additional deaths today is of a Garland man in his 80s.
A provisional total of 156 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in school-aged children from 5 to 17 years old during the week ending on Sept.12, which was an increase from the previous week for this age group. The percentage of cases occurring in young adults aged 18 to 22 years has increased to 14% over the past two weeks.
Tarrant County Reports 361 New Cases
There have been 361 additional cases in the area, bringing the total to 46,898. Of the 361 cases reported today, 125 are from the state’s electronic reporting system that has been experiencing a backlog.
The county reported 13 deaths today, two from July and five from August. The deaths today are including:
- An Azle man and woman in their 90s
- A Fort Worth man in his 90s,
- A Keller man in his 80s
- An Azle man and woman in their 80s
- An Arlington man in his 80s
- A Fort Worth man and woman in their 80s
- A Fort Worth man in his 70s
- An Azle woman in her 70s
- A Mansfield woman in her 60s
- A Crowley man in his 30s.
123 Additional Cases In Collin County
Another 123 cases in the area raises the total to 12,966. There have been 137 deaths and 11,937 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.
Read More: A Timeline Of COVID-19's Spread In North Texas
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