Dallas County Reports 229 New Positive 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases
Posted on 05/08/2021
City of Dallas

As of 12:00 pm, May 7, 2021, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 229 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 114 confirmed cases, and 115 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 258,440 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 41,821 probable cases (antigen test). A total of 3,925 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness.

Risklevel Extremecaution

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) is providing initial vaccinations to those most at risk of exposure to COVID-19 and over 450,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic, which started operations on Monday, January 11. Vaccine operations for both first and second doses at Fair Park resumed today and will continue tomorrow.

The additional deaths being reported today include the following:

  • A woman in her 60's who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Mesquite. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 70's was a resident of the City of Dallas. He expired in an area hospital ED and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 80's who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She was hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 90's who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Grand Prairie. He expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

One death reported today was of a person who received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine but had several underlying high-risk health conditions. To date, a total of 61 cases of the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7; six B.1.429 variants; two B.1.526 variants; one P.1 variant; and one P.2 variant have been identified in residents of Dallas County. Five have been hospitalized with 3 requiring intensive care unit admission, and one has died. Seven had history of recent domestic travel outside of Texas. One case of B.1.1.7 is a likely instance of reinfection with COVID-19, occurring over 6 months after an initial PCR-confirmed infection. The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 16 was 207, which is a rate of 7.9 daily new cases per 100,000 residents. Of symptomatic patients presenting to area hospitals in week 16 (week ending 4/24/21), 9.5% of respiratory specimens tested positive SARS-CoV-2.

During the past 30 days, there were 1,064 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and staff reported from 390 separate K-12 schools in Dallas County. There are currently 28 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 4,361 residents and 2,455 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,081 have been hospitalized and 769 have died. About 20% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities. Eleven outbreaks of COVID-19 in congregate-living facilities (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) have been reported in the past 30 days. A cumulative total of 593 residents and 220 staff members in congregate-living facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Of all confirmed cases requiring hospitalization to date, more than two-thirds have been under 65 years of age. Diabetes has been an underlying high-risk health condition reported in about a third of all hospitalized patients with COVID-19. New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with more detailed summary reports updated Tuesday and 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. There were 183 COVID-19 patients in acute care in Dallas County for the period ending on May 6. The number of emergency room visits for COVID-19 like symptoms in Dallas County was 409 for the same time-period, which represents around 15 percent of all emergency department visits in the county. Vaccination is the best way to prevent illness and hospitalization from COVID. Protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated as soon as possible. Updated UTSW forecasting reflects a minor decrease within their model with hospitalizations between 140-220 and daily case counts of 210 by May 24th. If vaccination rates continue to increase, hospitalizations within the model remain low. With a slower pace of vaccination and reduced personal protective measures, the model shows growth. You can find additional information on risk-level monitoring data here.

Covid 19 Actual DeathsCovid 19 ImpatientsCovid 19 ER VisitsCovid 19 ICU Beds

"Today we report 229 COVID-19 positive cases and four additional deaths. One of the deaths was a breakthrough case in a fully vaccinated elderly individual with several serious underlying health conditions. The vaccine, along with following guidance from CDC and local doctors, is your best protection against COVID-19. Today we break the threshold of over 50% of the people in Dallas County, who are eligible for the vaccine at this time, have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. If you haven't received a dose of the shot, now is your time to join the growing numbers of people who are benefitting from the protections and increased freedom of the vaccine. Each vaccinated person helps everyone else as we strive to reach 70% of our population with at least one shot by July 4.

"The numbers for death are decreasing and this is because of the vaccine. Likewise, the number of new cases reported each day is decreasing because of the vaccine. In order for this to continue, we must deny the virus hosts to change and mutate in so that the virus doesn't work its way into a vaccine resistant strain. That's why we ask that everyone do their patriotic part to help defeat COVID in our community and in America.

"This Sunday is Mother's Day. What better extra gift for your mother than to get vaccinated so that not only are you protected, but that you've done your patriotic duty to protect our community and our country. There are vaccines available in many locations and you can go to www.vaccines.gov to find a vaccine near you. We are open today until 5pm and tomorrow from 8am-5pm at Fair Park with both the choice of a Johnson and Johnson one-and-done vaccine or a two-dose vaccine with Moderna offered today and Pfizer offered tomorrow. You don't need an appointment and you don't even have to register ahead of time (however, for faster service, register ahead of time at www.DallasCounty.org and obtain your QR code).

"We can do this North Texas. If we all work together, we will defeat COVID-19 and take advantage of our strong position to have an economic and quality of life boom coming out of the pandemic," 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: