Dallas County Reports 391 New Coronavirus Cases; Judge Jenkins Calls For Renewed Restrictions To Curb Spread
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas County Health and Human Services reported 391 additional positive cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the county's total case count to 18,135.
The county also announced four more deaths bringing the total to 328.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the latest numbers from the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council show since June 1, hospitalizations are up 88% in Dallas County (from 296 to 556) and up 86% in the 19-county region (from 615 to 1,145).
"Today's number of hospitalizations and new COVID-19 cases continues a disturbing trend of a surge of a second wave increase of COVID-19. We need the Governor to either implement statewide the rules that we, along with business and health, came up with early on when urban counties were in charge of the state's response that did a good job of curbing the spread. or go back to allowing the flexibility to counties to do that," Judge Jenkins said in a statement. "Because of all of the mixed messaging and confusion over the last six weeks, it would be best if there was a statewide plan on issues such as masking, workplace separation, workplace safety and limiting the number of people in facilities and at gatherings."
An increasing proportion of COVID-19 cases in Dallas County are being diagnosed in young adults between 18 to 39.
Of all cases reported after June 1, almost half have been in this age group, DCCHS said in a news release.
Of cases requiring hospitalization, more than two-thirds have been under 65 years of age, and about half do not have any high-risk chronic health conditions.
We have seen a significant increase of patients, up 72 individuals over a 24-hour period, to 542 total cases in a hospital or acute care setting.
Judge Jenkins went on to say in his statement:
"It's unclear how the State will move forward but you, as individuals and leaders in your families and businesses, don't need to wait. Avoid any unnecessary crowds. Stop going to places where masks cannot be or are not being worn 100% of the time. For services where it's not possible for people outside your family to be masked at all time. please find ways to obtain those services outside of a group setting. Please use good hand hygiene, carry hand sanitizer with you at all times, and maintain six foot or more distancing at all times. Remember, it's up to all of us to #FlattenTheCurve and the best way to do that is to #StayHomeSaveLives and #WearAMask."
The additional four deaths include:
- A Grand Prairie man in his 60s who had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A Cedar Hill man in his 80s who had been hospitalized and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A Grand Prairie woman in her 80s who had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A Dallas woman in her 80s who was a resident of a long-term care facility, She died in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.