Dallas County Reports 579 COVID-19 Cases, Judge Says County Will Provide Testing To Hurricane Laura Evacuees
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas County on Wednesday reported 578 additional cases of COVID-19, with 424 of them coming from a backlog in the state's reporting system.
Wednesday's count brings the total in the county to 69,881, which is the second highest in the state behind Harris County.
Health officials broke down the 424 backlogged cases by month: March - 6; April - 116; May - 271; June - 31.
Nine more deaths were also reported, bringing that total to 890. One of the youngest patients was a Wilmer man in his 40s who did not have underlying high risk health conditions.
Of the nine, seven had been hospitalized, one died in a hospital's emergency department and one was found dead inside their home. Eight of the nine had underlying high risk health conditions.
In addition to reporting Wednesday's numbers, Judge Clay Jenkins tweeted about the county's plan to help Hurricane Laura evacuees as they arrive in North Texas.
Jenkins said the county will provide COVID-19 testing, along with shelter and meals.
"We are also involved in helping hundreds of families from the coast get refuge, meals and services here in Dallas County by placing them in hotels and providing them with services in their time of need," Jenkins tweeted.
"The people fleeing Hurricane Laura are no more likely to have #COVID19 than members of the general population anywhere in Texas, and the services that we'll provide to them, including #COVID19 testing, will be done from our excess capacity..." he added. "... so no one in Dallas County will be denied a #COVID19 test or services due to the services being provided to our neighbors from the Texas coast."
In Tarrant County, 199 new cases were reported Wednesday, bringing the total to 40,530.