Dallas County Reports a Total of 597 New Positive 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases and 8 Deaths, Including 155 Probable Cases
Posted on 02/24/2022
C-19 Risklevel Newnormal

As of 12:00 pm February 23, 2022, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 1,010 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 442 confirmed cases, and 155 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 466,587 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 98,504 probable cases (antigen test). A total of 5,955 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness.

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) provided more than 500,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic, which operated from January 11 through July 17. A vaccination clinic is open at the Dallas College Eastfield Campus Location on Thursdays - Saturdays from 9 am-6 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am - 4 pm. A weekly pop-up vaccination clinic will also take place at Fair Park on Tuesdays from 12:30 pm-6 pm and on Sundays, from 10 am - 4 pm.

The additional deaths being reported today include the following:

  • A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Cedar Hill. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Carrollton. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 80s who was a resident of the City of Irving. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.

A woman in her 80s who was a resident of the City of Duncanville. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

  • A woman in her 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

To date, a total of 1,404 cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified and investigated in residents of Dallas County, including 162 cases of B.1.1.7 (Alpha); 4 cases of B.1.351 (Beta); 1,101 cases of B.1.617.2 (Delta); 14 cases of B.1.427 (Epsilon); 20 cases of P.1 (Gamma); 9 cases of B.1.526 (Iota); 4 cases of C.37 (Lambda); 2 cases of B.1.621 (Mu); 87 cases of B.1.1.529 (Omicron); and 1 case of P.2 (Zeta). Two hundred and seventy-one cases have been hospitalized and 43 have died. Twenty-one COVID-19 variant cases were reinfections. Three hundred and fifty-one people were considered fully vaccinated before infection with a COVID-19 variant. As of 2/11/2022, a total of 5,049 confirmed and probable cases were reported in CDC week 5 (week ending 2/5/22), which is a weekly rate of 191.6 new cases per 100,000 residents.

As of the week ending 2/10/2022, about 80% of Dallas County residents age 12 years and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including 98% of residents age 65 years and older; 86% of residents between 40-64 years of age; 77% of residents 25-39 years of age; 66% of residents 18-24 years of age; and 61% of residents 12-17 years of age. In the cities of Addison, Coppell, Highland Park, Irving, and Sunnyvale, greater than 90% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In the cities of Cedar Hill, Desoto, Farmers Branch, Garland, Lancaster, and University Park, greater than 80% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (See below).

About 57.7% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Week 5 were Dallas County residents who were not fully vaccinated. In Dallas County, 31,294 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals have been confirmed to date, of which 2,911 (9.3%) were hospitalized and 462 have died due to COVID-19.

Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 2/5/2022 (CDC week 5), 21.7% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. For week 5, area hospital labs have continued to report elevated numbers and proportions of respiratory specimens that are positive for other respiratory viruses by molecular tests: parainfluenza (3.33%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (28.6%), and RSV (3.08%).

There are currently 83 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 6,264 residents and 4,230 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,289 have been hospitalized and 876 have died. About 16% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities.

There have been 12 outbreaks of COVID-19 in a congregate-living facility (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) reported within the past 30 days. A cumulative total of 846 residents and 298 staff members in congregate-living facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with more detailed data dashboards and summary reports updated on Friday evenings, available at: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus/daily-updates.php.

Local health experts use hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ER visits as three of the key indicators as part of determining the COVID-19 Risk Level (color-coded risk) and corresponding guidelines for activities during our COVID-19 response. The most recent COVID-19 hospitalization data for Dallas County, as reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, can be found at www.dallascounty.org/covid-19 under "Monitoring Data," and is updated regularly. This data includes information on the total available ICU beds, suspected and confirmed COVID-19 ER visits in the last 24 hours, confirmed COVID-19 inpatients, and COVID-19 deaths by actual date of death. The most recent forecasting from UTSW can be found here.

Actual DeathCovid 19 ImpatientsICU BedsCovid 19 Visits

Find a COVID-19 Vaccine Near You

"Our COVID numbers continue to decline, but it's important that we continue to take the precautions that the doctors have prescribed to give us our best chance to get the numbers as low as possible. The winter weather provides additional challenges. If you don't need to leave your home, please stay in as the road conditions deteriorate. This allows our first responders the room they need to assist those who have ventured out. If you must go outside when there are icy conditions, go much slower than you were used to going, both on foot and behind the wheel. If you begin to spin steer into the spin, not away from it. Put greater distance between you and vehicles around you. But if you do not have an emergent need to leave your home, and can work from home, we encourage you to do that as the roads will be treacherous in the early morning hours up until the afternoon and what's left on the roads will freeze again. Friday night, creating black ice and treacherous conditions for Friday morning driving," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

All Dallas County COVID-19 Updates and Information can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/ and all guidance documents can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/guidance-health.php
Specific Guidance for the Public:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

  • Avoid close contact outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don't live in your household.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others and continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
  • Stay home when you are sick, except to seek medical care
  • Wash your hands often and with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and help young children to do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
    Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve, not your hands. Immediately wash your hands.
  • Monitor your health daily. Be alert for symptoms. Take your temperature and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

Additional information is available at the following websites: