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

Public health experts: Abbott must follow coronavirus data to reopen Texas

Public health experts say Gov. Greg Abbott’s limited, gradual strategy to reopen Texas can be safe — if Texas continues to follow the data and if Texas can get more of it.

“He mentioned several times the data would drive what happens, and that is music to public health’s ears,” said Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease epidemiologist at UTHealth School of Public Health in Houston.

Abbott, in a series of executive orders on Friday, announced that in the next week state parks would reopen, non-essential businesses will be allowed to engage in delivery and pickup, and hospitals will be able to perform some non-elective surgeries. Schools will remain closed for the rest of the 2019-20 year.

Flanked by Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and other officials, Abbott hinted a greater change could be on the horizon: the potential reopening of restaurants, movie theaters and other similar venues to the public, as early as April 27. To get there he said Texas must know its coronavirus count is going down. “If the data continues to show a flat-lining and then a decline in the number of people testing positive in the state of Texas, that is a signal that we can begin the process of opening up some businesses that adhere to the strictest strategies that will reduce the spread of coronavirus,” Abbott said.

His executive orders were the first to address bringing normalcy back to Texas, an argument that has raged since cities and counties — and then Abbott — enacted stay-at-home regulations. Medical workers and public health experts have insisted staying home is necessary to keep coronavirus infections down and prevent hospitals from seeing an influx of patients. Influential conservatives, including Patrick and Empower Texans, have argued the economic costs of the shutdown are greater than the health costs of the virus and advocated for a quick return to normal.

‘It’s a cry for help.’ Food bank sees sharp increase in demand amid coronavirus crisis

Dianna Campos, who comes to the mobile food pantry in the parking lot of the Tarrant County College Northwest campus, said she was shocked by the lines of cars where people waited to pick up emergency food boxes.

Campos, who is 60, said she’s never seen such a line of cars.

“I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” she said.

Campos said she is grateful to receive the boxes of produce and nonperishable foods, such as cereal and peanut butter, as she and her husband are not working because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Julie Butner, president and CEO of the Tarrant Area Food Bank, said the nonprofit is seeing a 60 percent increase in food distribution since the pandemic hit full force this month.

“This is because of our newly laid off and furloughed workers,” she said. The food bank serves 13 North Texas counties

“This is what we refer to as our first-time hungry. They’ve never gotten assistance before,” she said.

Tarrant County sheriff reports 5 inmates and a jail staffer are coronavirus positive

A total of five Tarrant County jail inmates have received positive test results saying they have contracted COVID-19, according to a news release issued Friday by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.

Two inmates tested positive last weekend and since then, three more inmates have had positive test results returned.

All five inmates have been quarantined and are reported to be in good condition, the release said.

An employee with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office has also tested positive for COVID-19 and has not been at work since April 6, the release said. The employee is the only member of the jail staff to have tested positive for the disease, according to sheriff’s department officials.

As of this week, wearing face masks is mandatory for anyone entering a jail facility, including staff, the release said.

Tarrant County reports 35th coronavirus death, 20th in Fort Worth; 82 new cases

Tarrant County reported its 35th coronavirus-related death and 82 new cases on Friday.

The man was in his 80s and had underlying health conditions. He’s the 20th Fort Worth resident to die from the pandemic.

The county has confirmed 1,175 COVID-19 cases, including 35 deaths and 187 recoveries.

Among the coronavirus deaths, 15 have been white, 13 have been black, five have been Hispanic and two have been Asian/Pacific Islander. Twenty have been 65 or older, 12 have been between 45 and 65, and three have been between 25 and 44.

Dallas County reports five more coronavirus deaths, spike of 124 new cases

Dallas County reported five more coronavirus deaths and 124 new cases on Friday.

Four of the deceased were residents of Dallas and one was a resident of Farmers Branch. Two of the five patients were residents of Dallas-area long-term care facilities. There have been 55 pandemic-related deaths in Dallas County.

The ages of the latest deaths include two in their 60s, two in their 70s and one in their 80s.

The county has confirmed 2,190 COVID-19 patients, including recovered patients. The county hasn’t released patient recovery totals.

Denton County closes in on 600 total coronavirus cases with 21 new patients

Denton County reported 21 new coronavirus cases to increase the total to 585, including 244 recoveries and 15 deaths.

No new cases were reported at the Denton State Supported Living Center, where 101 residents and employees have contracted COVID-19.

Among the county’s total pandemic patients, 161 are residents of Denton, including 54 residents of the DSSLC. There have been 64 cases in Carrollton, 58 in rural parts of the county, 45 in Frisco, 41 in Little Elm and 40 in Lewisville.

Fairview man is 12th coronavirus death in Collin County

Collin County reported its 12th coronavirus-related death on Friday.

The deceased was a 73-year-old Fairview man with underlying health conditions. He died at a local hospital Friday morning, according to health officials.

“We are sad to learn of the death of another member of our Collin County community today,” Collin County Judge Chris Hill said in a release. “All of us grieve together with his family during this difficult time.”

The county confirmed 521 COVID-19 cases, including 12 deaths and 320 patient recoveries. Seventeen patients are currently hospitalized and 980 people are being monitored by health officials.

Wise County reports second coronavirus-related death in past two days

Wise County confirmed its second coronavirus-related death late Thursday.

No other details were released.

The county has confirmed eight COVID-19 cases, including one recovery and two deaths. The county’s first pandemic-related death was reported late Wednesday.

“Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family of this individual,” Wise County Emergency Management Coordinator Cody Powell said in a news release. “We are sorry for your loss and pray for healing during this difficult time.”

The county has tested 678 people, including 561 negative results, 85 pending and 24 inconclusive.

The county reports that the latest patient to test positive lives at the same address at a previously-known patient.

Cases have been reported by ZIP code, including three in 76431 (which includes Chico), two in 76234 (which includes Decatur) and one each in 76073, 76078 and 76426, which includes the Paradise, Rhome and Bridgeport areas.

New coronavirus cases in Mansfield, Cleburne, Alvarado bring Johnson County total to 44

Johnson County reported four new coronavirus cases in Alvarado, Cleburne, Mansfield and a rural part of the county.

There have been 44 COVID-19 cases, including recovered patients. The county is not releasing recovery information.

Of the 44 confirmed cases in Johnson County, 20 are in Burleson, seven in Cleburne, and two each in Mansfield and Alvarado. Keene, Venus and Joshua each have one case. There have been 10 cases in unincorporated areas of the county.

The city of Burleson has reported 23 total cases, including at least one resident who lives in Tarrant County. That person and two others are not counted in Johnson County’s total.

There have been three recovered patients reported in Burleson, one in Cleburne and one in Mansfield.

Parker County adds coronavirus cases in Weatherford, Azle and Poolville; has 20 total

Parker County added three more pandemic patients for a total of 20, including 11 recoveries.

The new cases are in Weatherford, Azle and Poolville.

All nine active COVID-19 cases are recovering at home and include four in their 50s, two each in their 30s and 60s and one in their 40s.

The county has tested 217 people for the virus, including 197 negative results. Twenty results are pending.

Of the 20 total confirmed COVID-19 cases, there have been eight in Weatherford, four in Azle, two in Aledo, two in Willow Park, and one each in Springtown, Peaster, Lipan, Reno and Pooville.

Dickies to produce gowns for medical workers on frontlines of coronavirus pandemic

Dickies is planning to begin large-scale production next week on medical gowns that will be distributed to healthcare workers across the country on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced.

The Fort Worth-based workwear brand hopes to deliver 50,000 gowns in May and continue to scale up production capacity throughout the summer. The goal is to make up to 675,000 gowns by June, the company said in a news release, and as many as 3.4 million by September.

The parent company behind Dickies, VF Corporation, is converting several of its manufacturing facilities to produce the garments and planning to leverage its global supply chain, according to the release. The isolation gowns will reportedly be made from fabric sourced from another manufacturer, in compliance with Food and Drug Administration guidelines. There will be strictly enforced social distancing protocols at facilities.

Denny Bruce, the Dickies global brand president, said in the release the workwear company is standing alongside workers “in light of these unprecedented times.”

“As a heritage brand that goes to work, especially when the work gets tough, we are committed to equipping these workers with the critical medical garments they need to protect themselves as they continue the fight against this pandemic.”

Fort Worth area teachers building face shields for health care workers in spare time

Teachers at Harmony school campuses across the region are on a mission to produce more than 500 face shields for Tarrant County Public Health workers.

As of Tuesday, teachers had already taken to their 3D printers to make 200 shields to donate to the agency, according to a Harmony Public Schools news release.

Working from home during their off-hours after helping Harmony students with distance learning, the teachers are using 3D printers to build medical-grade face shields for health care workers across Tarrant County who are facing the coronavirus, the infection that causes COVID-19.

Adriane Fox, the Makerspace teacher at Harmony School of Innovation-Euless, has printed more than 30 headbands for the face shields with her personal printers, the release said. But now that the school has allowed her to take 3D printers home with her, Fox said she has been able to increase her output.

“Now I’m printing pretty much 24/7,” said Fox, who instructs second- through fifth-grade students in the principles of engineering. “We should have another 200 ready to go by Tuesday.”

The printers are either personally owned by the teachers, or on loan from Harmony Public Schools, the release said. The school system is implementing similar 3D-printed face shield programs at its campuses across the state, the release said.

Salvation Army says Fort Worth homeless shelter residents must wear face masks

The Salvation Army isn’t waiting for local governments to require face masks, as a way to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The nonprofit agency announced Friday that it would immediately begin requiring that residents of its homeless shelters, including the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Social Service Center in Fort Worth, wear face masks in all public places. Masks will be provided to those who enter the facilities, an official said.

The Mabee Center provides meals, counseling and other services to about 486 people per day, including an average of 220 people who spend the night inside the Fort Worth facility.

The new requirement comes on the same day that Dallas officials announced that 17 people had tested positive for coronavirus at an unidentified homeless shelter, and that an estimated 200 people had been exposed.

Region-wide, the Salvation Army has ordered more than 50,000 mask as it continues to provide services throughout the North Texas region during the COVID-19 crisis.

Not To Be. Pandemic forces Shakespeare Dallas to cancel summer series for first time

Shakespeare Dallas has canceled its 2020 summer season of Shakespeare in the Park because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The group was scheduled to hold performances of “Much Ado About Nothing” and “The Merchant of Venice” beginning June 10 and ending July 19 at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheater in East Dallas.

It’s the first time since the company’s founding about 50 years ago that the summer event won’t be held.

“Shakespeare in the Park is a decade’s long tradition for many families and theater artists in our community,” Shakespeare Dallas executive and artistic director Raphael Parry said in a release. “I am deeply moved by the place we hold as a cultural icon, and the absence of our Summer Season will have a great impact on many.”

The company employs more than 80 artists and technicians.

“We are committed to preserving the jobs of our full-time, year-round staff and ensuring Shakespeare Dallas comes back stronger than ever in the fall,” Parry said. “We look forward with great expectations of launching our 50th Season in September with ‘Romeo and Juliet.’”