We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date news about coronavirus in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Check back for updates.

Tarrant County reports coronavirus deaths for sixth consecutive day, adds 34 new cases

For the third consecutive day, Tarrant County reported two more coronavirus-related deaths Monday, bringing the county’s total to 13 dead.

Monday was the sixth consecutive day the county confirmed at least one coronavirus-related death.

The county also confirmed 34 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 452 known cases, including 41 recoveries. Fort Worth has 167 confirmed cases, including 12 recoveries. Arlington has 72 cases, including five recoveries.

A man in his 60s is the fifth person to die in Fort Worth, county health officials said.. A man in his 40s is the third person to die in Arlington.

Why Dallas County saw a big drop in newly confirmed coronavirus cases Monday

Dallas County confirmed 43 additional coronavirus cases Monday morning, a major drop-off in new cases after a rough several days that included multiple 100-case days, several deaths and 97 new cases on Sunday.

There are a total of 1,155 known COVID-19 cases in the county, including recovered patients and 18 deaths.

“While today’s positive case count is encouraging, I caution about reading too much into this number as several private labs were closed on Sunday,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a news release Monday. “Having said that, the hospital systems are seeing evidence that the Dallas County Safer at Home executive order enacted on March 22nd is working to flatten the curve. Please continue adherence to the Safer at Home order to help save lives.”

9 JPS Hospital employees test positive for coronavirus, according to new public info line

John Peter Smith Hospital has set up a phone recording with daily updates about the people they are treating for COVID-19.

People can access the information by calling 817-702-9500.

The message will be updated at 10 a.m. each day.

This change comes after the Fort Worth Star-Telegram examined the lack of transparency between hospitals and the public, and between the hospitals and public officials tasked with making decisions that will keep residents safe.

On Monday, the recording gave the following information:

▪ JPS is treating 10 patients for COVID-19.

▪ 36 patients are under investigation.

▪ One patient has died at the hospital (there are 13 deaths in the county).

▪ Nine employees have tested positive.

▪ 44 patients tested at the hospital received positive results (there are 452 cases in the county as of Monday afternoon).

▪ 284 people who tested at the hospital received negative results.

▪ 85 tests are pending.

Johnson County reports two more coronavirus cases, including first in Keene

Johnson County confirmed two more coronavirus cases Monday, to bring its total to 22, including four recoveries.

The new COVID-19 cases include one in Burleson, which has nine current patients, and the first case in Keene. Three patients in Burleson and one patient in Mansfield have recovered.

The 18 active cases include nine in Burleson, five in unincorporated Johnson County, two in Cleburne, one in Joshua and one in Keene.

Fort Worth hospital sets up temporary morgue in case of possible coronavirus influx

Baylor Scott & White All Saints Hospital in Fort Worth set up a temporary morgue outside its facility to prepare for a possible influx of bodies due to coronavirus.

A hospital spokeswoman said the external morgue is not being used yet, but is a precautionary measure since “local mortuary resources may remain at capacity longer than anticipated” due to shelter-in-place orders.

The hospital does not have a need for the morgue yet, the spokeswoman emphasized.

“This is an unprecedented step for us, but one we must take to be prepared in these uncertain times,” the hospital’s statement said.

Baylor Scott & White was monitoring the need for other resources, such as ventilators and hospital beds. The hospital was considering using vacant operating rooms and other empty areas to hold patients, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Fort Worth restaurant community mourns death of El Paseo worker who had coronavirus

An employee of El Paseo Mexican Restaurant who tested positive for coronavirus last month has died, according to the Fort Worth restaurant’s posts on social media.

The man died Saturday just days after he reported being ill.

He also had underlying health conditions and double pneumonia, according to a Saturday post on the restaurant’s Facebook.

Restaurant officials did not identify the worker.

“He was a part of our El Paseo family for over 25 years,” according to the Facebook post. “He was a good man with a kind heart. We could always count on him to bring a smile to our faces when we arrived at work.”

The man was described as a loyal, hardworking and devoted employee.

The Sansom Park restaurant and two other locations are scheduled to reopen Tuesday. The restaurants had been temporarily closed as precautionary measures to deep clean and sanitize all surfaces and equipment of the restaurants. The other restaurants are in Azle and Mineral Wells.

The worker was last at the restaurant on March 21, and restaurant officials said no other employees n the past 10 days had exhibited signs of the coronavirus.

The restaurant has established a GoFundMe account to help the family of the worker. As of Monday, residents had raised $2,060 with a goal of $5,000.

“We will decide on a date to donate a portion of our sales to his wife and two daughters to help them during this difficult time,” according to the Facebook post. “We thank you for your continued support and prayers. We cannot wait to see our customers.”

Texas Supreme Court halts eviction proceedings through April 30

The Texas Supreme Court extended its original deadline and halted eviction proceedings in Texas through April 30 due to the novel coronavirus’ spread.

An emergency order issued Monday by Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht notes that while filings can still be submitted, no trial, hearing, or other eviction proceeding may be conducted until after April 30. And while a writ of possession may be issued, its posting and execution cannot occur until after May 7.

Exceptions will be made if the court determines that a tenant or occupant’s actions pose an imminent threat of physical harm to a landlord, their employees or other tenants, or if tenants are engaging in criminal activity, according to the order.

The order is effective immediately, and can be extended by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Texas Supreme Court had previously halted eviction proceedings through April 19.

Family patiently waits for moment they can meet ‘miracle baby’ born during coronavirus

Axel Tidwell is a miracle baby.

His mom, Chris, was told she would likely never have kids. It was a wonderful surprise to her and her husband, Marty, when a pregnancy test last fall came back positive.

They were elated to find out they’d be parents, especially since Axel would likely be their only child, Marty’s mom, Teresa Tidwell, said on Wednesday.

Then, Chris Tidwell’s pregnancy took a turn for the worst. She was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a complication in pregnancy that consists of high blood pressure and the possibility of organ failure for the mother.

Six weeks before her due date, labor was induced in a hospital in Frisco.

In other parts of the hospital, health care workers prepared for possible COVID-19 patients to come through their emergency room doors. Outside, the community and country worried about how to handle a surge of patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

Weeks before Axel was born, hospitals in the state stopped allowing visitors to come into their halls and they stopped non-essential procedures — all with the intent to stop the spread of COVID-19.

So when Chris and Marty were in the maternity wing awaiting the birth of their miracle child, their family waited in the hospital’s parking lot.

Risk infection or violate probation? Residents face dilemma at Fort Worth rehab center

Until last week, Brittney Cardenas was one of about 150 residents at Fort Worth’s Cenikor complex, an addiction rehabilitation center that treats its residents through what it calls work therapy. It’s in a low-slung brick building in an industrialized area just south of John Peter Smith Hospital. The residents, many of whom are ordered by the court system to stay there, live in dorms that house about 30 people in bunk beds. They eat community meals in a cafeteria and pile into vans to attend jobs throughout Dallas-Fort Worth.

As soon as Cardenas started hearing reports about the spread of coronavirus in the news last month, she became concerned about the living situation: What if a resident contracted COVID-19? They could infect other residents and potentially carry the disease to other workers at their job sites. Because most Cenikor residents work in warehouse settings, their jobs are considered essential.

Cardenas said that although Cenikor took people’s temperatures at the door and set up a hand sanitizing station, it did nothing to keep residents apart from each other, either at the facility or in the vans on the way to work. When Cardenas described Cenikor’s lack of response to her attorney, Raymond Sanders, he said she needed to leave immediately, even though she risked violating the terms of her probation. Cardenas’s mother, Dawn Traylor, picked her up from Cenikor on March 27 and brought her home to Mexia. Traylor said that while she waited a group of residents were getting into a van and another line of people were standing at the door. “Realistically you cannot socially distance yourself when living with 150 people,” she said.

As the coronavirus continues to decimate the United States, national concern has risen for people on parole or probation who are ordered to work for outside employers and return to massive living communities that lead to potentially unsafe conditions. Kevin Ring, president of Families for Justice Reform, wrote a letter March 26 to the attorney general and Bureau of Prisons asking for the release of prisoners at re-entry facilities. “People are confined in tight quarters and don’t have the resources to comply with CDC guidance addressing their hygiene or freedom to practice social distancing,” he wrote. “Individuals in home confinement would be far better equipped to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and they would be a far lower risk to the BOP or the public’s health care system.”

Amy Granberry, a spokeswoman for Cenikor, said via email Cenikor had reduced the number of people per work van but declined to answer when it made that decision. Cenikor has limited guests to the Fort Worth facility but not banned them, and it has also instituted more cleaning, she said. Granberry declined to answer whether Cenikor would consider letting residents stay away from work or if they would be punished for choosing to skip work. “We are closely monitoring guidance from local, state and federal authorities and following those directives appropriately, along with all other relevant statutes,” she said. “We are focused on the needs and care of our clients at this time. Once the pandemic is resolved we will be available for an interview.”

Tarrant County up to 418 coronavirus cases, 2 more deaths reported

Two more people in Tarrant County have died of the coronavirus and more people have been confirmed infected, according to data released Sunday, bringing the total number of deaths to 11 and the total infections to 418.

Fort Worth and Arlington each had one death from the virus.

The county has reported 23 recoveries since the outbreak began.

The two new deaths were both elderly people, according to a news release from the county. One woman in Arlington, a resident of the Heartis Arlington retirement facility, died at a hospital. A man from Fort Worth, who had an underlying health condition, died in a hospital.

The Arlington retirement facility is testing almost all residents and staff and taking measures to prevent possible spread, such as isolating residents, according to the release.

Health officials believe both victims contracted the virus through community spread, where people are infected by others in their community and not during travel elsewhere.

Dallas County reports 97 new coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 1,112

Dallas County reported 97 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections in the county to 1,112.

County Judge Clay Jenkins urged residents in a written statement to avoid panic, take a break from work or home chores each day to recharge and “stay in the fight,” find ways to help others such as donating to the North Texas Food Bank and practice gratitude.

“Gratitude drives out despair,” he wrote.

Denton County confirms 7th death, 14 new coronavirus cases at living center

A man in his 90s living in a Lewisville nursing facility is the seventh person in Denton County to die from coronavirus-related complications.

The county announced 16 new COVID-19 cases Sunday to bring the total to 304, including 69 recovered patients and seven deaths.

A woman in her 70s living in a Lewisville nursing facility was the county’s sixth coronavirus death on Friday.

Fourteen of the new cases are employees of the Denton State Supported Living Center, including six who live outside of Denton County. A total of 89 people at the facility, including 50 residents, have contracted COVID-19.

Collin County confirms 19 new coronavirus cases, 102 recoveries

Collin County reported 19 new coronavirus cases Sunday for a total of 287, including 102 recovered patients and three deaths.

Twenty-five patients are hospitalized and 157 are in home isolation.

Dispute between Abbott and Dallas County judge shows confusion over coronavirus resources

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s chief of staff threatened to move an overflow medical facility away from Dallas County if county officials do not confirm they need the resources, according to a letter written to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

Luis Saenz, Abbott’s chief of staff, wrote in the letter that Jenkins suggested the county would not be using the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center as a hospital for COVID-19 patients. Abbott announced at a press conference on March 29 the center would be used for coronavirus patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area if needed.

“Other jurisdictions need quick access to the facilities currently set up in Dallas,” Saenz wrote. “If I don’t hear from you by tomorrow, the process may quickly begin to move this additional hospital capacity away from Dallas.”

At his daily 4 p.m. press conference, Jenkins said the implication that he was rejecting the use of the convention center was untrue.

“The letter written is a very odd letter in that it intimates that we don’t want those resources,” Jenkins said. “We are working hours and hours a day to stand up that resource. I want the public to be clear. Dallas County, and everyone else working on this, the unified hospital system response, does want that resource.”

Jenkins said a 10-minute call with state, city and hospital officials — including Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and the Dallas director of emergency management — “was the genesis of this silly letter.”

“At no time did we tell them, ‘take the assets from Dallas, we don’t need them here,’” Jenkins said.

DFW police looking for teen who filmed herself ‘infesting’ Walmart with coronavirus

Carrollton police are searching for an 18-year-old who recorded herself inside a Walmart after she said she tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday.

Carrollton police identified the teenager as Lorraine Maradiaga and said on Twitter they were searching for her. Police said Maradiaga is being charged with making a terrorist threat.

“We have no confirmation Maradiaga is actually a threat to public health,” Carrollton police said in a tweet. “We are, however, taking her social media actions very seriously.”

In a series of videos posted on her Snapchat, Maradiaga said she tested positive for COVID-19. One of her videos shows a woman who appears to be a physician telling Maradiaga to stay home.

Another video shows Maradiaga filming herself inside a store. She pans the camera around the aisles and says, “I’m here at Walmart about to infest every (expletive) because if I’m going down, all y’all (expletives) going down.”

Dallas-Fort Worth residents out of work due to coronavirus forced to make hard choices

Chris Parr has enough money saved to make it through one more month with his three young children, if he can buy only what he needs like food to fill the refrigerator and diapers and formula for his 1-year-old daughter.

Beyond that, he doesn’t know.

Parr, a 39-year-old Fort Worth bartender, is one of the staggering 10 million Americans who filed jobless claims over the past two weeks as the coronavirus has upended industries, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. He found out from the owner of Lola’s Saloon on March 17 they would have to shut down by midnight the next day, per Mayor Betsy Price’s executive order. He could work one more shift before he had to face unemployment, and a new reality as a single father.

He called the Texas Workforce Commission multiple times to file for his unemployment benefits, waiting for about five hours total, until he was finally able to get through. He signed up for food stamps.

But he knew that alone wouldn’t be enough, so he submitted applications for jobs at four large supermarkets that are hiring, before he started thinking about the potential risks of working in a heavily trafficked store.

“What if somebody at the store has it, and then I come home to the kids and — I don’t know. It’s nerve-wracking,” Parr said over the phone on Thursday. “When it comes down to it, if the grocery store calls and says, ‘Hey, we need you to start tomorrow,’ and I haven’t heard anything else, then absolutely I’m going to go start tomorrow. Just so I can start having some kind of income coming in.”

In Texas, more than 461,000 people reported they lost their jobs during the month of March, according to Labor Department data. That represents a roughly 600 percent increase from February, as — in the span of one month — the coronavirus has led cities and counties across the state to enact measures that once would have been hard to imagine.

Across the Dallas-Fort Worth region, a new population of laid-off service industry workers like Parr are having to make hard choices about how to get by.

People are budgeting their savings, only spending what they can afford. They’re falling back on their family and friends for help. They’re pleading with landlords for more time on April rent.

Coronavirus leads Dallas-Fort Worth hotel to get creative with how it rents out space

When the stay-at-home orders were issued in North Texas, the newly-built Aloft Dallas Hotel in Euless had to think outside the box to bring people there as travel came to a halt.

The hotel is in the Glade Parks development with restaurants within walking distance and it is in a quiet setting near the Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

Beth Mendez, director of marketing and sales, described how she came up with a plan to use the large ballroom and meeting areas to offer office space for anyone looking to work away from home.

The hotel created the office package where for $50 a person can work in peace and quiet, away from distractions.

So far, Mendez said she has sold three packages and hopes more people will see that they can get work done without interruptions.

“If people are getting stir crazy, this is an affordable option,” she said.

Mendez said people who purchased the office package included a woman who was getting her roof replaced and couldn’t take part in conference calls at home and a father who needed a quiet place because his five children are at home.

The office space includes free Internet, quiet space in a meeting room, snacks, beverages and a boxed lunch.

This story was originally published April 6, 2020 at 5:00 AM.