Coronavirus live updates June 17: Here’s what to know in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
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.
Fort Worth, Arlington mayors urge Abbott to allow local enforcement of face masks
The mayors of Texas’ largest cities, including Fort Worth and Arlington, requested Tuesday that Gov. Greg Abbott allow local officials to enforce the wearing of face masks to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus as cases rise across the state.
In a letter signed by nine mayors, including Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams, local officials pointed to wearing face masks as one of the best ways to keep businesses open and residents safe.
“Yet many people in many of our cities are still refusing to wear these face coverings even though these coverings are scientifically proven to help prevent the disease from spreading,” read the letter, that was also signed by the mayors of Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Grand Prairie, El Paso and Plano.
In late April, Abbott had stripped local officials of their ability to require face masks be worn, just days after Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo ordered residents to cover their faces in public or risk facing a fine up to $1,000.
The mayors’ letter urges Abbott to restore local officials’ enforcement abilities in public venues where social distancing cannot be practiced, and allow them to set “rules and regulations.”
“A one-size-fits-all approach is not the best option. We should trust local officials to make informed choices about health policy,” the letter read. “And if mayors are given the opportunity to require face coverings, we believe our cities will be ready to help reduce the spread of this disease.”
John Wittman, a spokesman for Abbott, wrote in an email Tuesday afternoon that local officials haven’t taken advantage of the tools already at their disposal, such as enforcing restrictions on businesses.
“None of these local officials have lifted a finger to impose penalties and enforcement mechanisms currently available to them. The one time a county judge did, a business owner wound up in jail,” Wittman said, referring to Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther, who made national headlines for reopening her business in defiance of judges’ orders.
Amid record COVID cases and hospitalizations, Abbott says Texas has ‘abundant’ capacity
Texas has seen record hospitalizations of patients with the novel coronavirus nearly every day in the last week. Amid a new single-day high of cases Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott emphasized that the state has sufficient hospital capacity and that it’s up to individual Texans to keep following safety guidelines.
Abbott said during a press conference Tuesday that Texas was set to report a new single-day high of 2,622 new COVID-19 cases — the same day that the number of patients hospitalized with the novel coronavirus reached an all-time high of 2,518 patients. Later that afternoon, the state also reported 1,476 new cases from Texas Department of Criminal Justice testing that had been previously diagnosed but not reported, and the state surpassed 2,000 COVID-19 related deaths.
“The increased occupancy of hospital beds, it does raise concerns,” Abbott said. “But as shown today there is no reason right now to be alarmed.”
The state has set records for hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients eight of the past nine days. Hospitalizations have been trending upward since late May, and have increased by about 66% since the 1,511 patients hospitalized on Memorial Day. Before last week, the previous record for hospitalizations was on May 5, with 1,888 patients.
No restrictions or pauses on the state’s phased reopening of businesses were announced Tuesday, although Abbott reiterated that he could reintroduce a temporary ban on elective medical procedures to increase hospital capacity if needed.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations over Time
Coronavirus daily hospitalization counts in Texas and the larger Trauma Service Areas, beginning April 8, 2020. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services.
First coronavirus death in Crowley confirmed as Tarrant County reports 144 more cases
A Crowley woman in her 70s with no underlying conditions is the 198th Tarrant County resident to die from the coronavirus, according to health officials.
Tarrant County reported the death along with 144 new coronavirus cases Tuesday. The county has confirmed a total of 7,642 COVID-19 cases, including 198 deaths and at least 3,299 recoveries.
It’s Crowley’s first coronavirus-related death. Of the total coronavirus deaths in the county, 117 have been in Fort Worth, 25 have been in Arlington, and 13 have been in Keller.
Of the 198 total pandemic-related deaths, 133 have been 65 or older, 55 have been between 45 and 64, and 10 have been between 25 and 44.
As coronavirus cases surge, Dallas’ Judge Jenkins and Gov. Abbott spar over masks
Dallas County reported eight more deaths and 306 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday.
It’s the seventh consecutive day the county has reported at least 300 cases and 19th consecutive day with at least 200 new COVID-19 cases.
The latest deaths include a Dallas man in his 30s, a Dallas woman in her 40s and a Hutchins man in his 40s. The other five patients were all Dallas residents: two men in their 60s, a woman in her 70s, and two women in their 90s, who were residents of long-term care facilities. Both died in the facilities.
All eight had underlying conditions, according to health officials.
Dallas County has confirmed 14,843 COVID-19 cases, including 293 deaths.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins released a pointed message Tuesday pushing back against Gov. Greg Abbott’s measures to open Texas amid the pandemic. Jenkins said Abbott’s staff asked him Sunday whether he had an idea of why Dallas County has seen such an increase in new cases.
Jenkins’ answer:
“Increased activity and human contact. Loosening of masking and social distancing. Both brought about by the Governor’s decisions to accelerate opening and limit our local ability to enforce recommendations from [the] Governor or medical experts,” said Jenkins, who added he wasn’t looking to quarrel with the Governor.
“[Abbott] may have been offended by my honesty,” said Jenkins, a Democrat, in his release. “Let’s be clear about masking. No one could be jailed for not wearing a mask under my or the City of Dallas’ orders. Rather, we made requirements out of the Governor’s recommendations only to have his attorney Ken Paxton write us a letter demanding we rescind our efforts and saying they didn’t want the Governor’s recommendations enforced or checked on.”
Abbott, a Republican, shot back during an interview with KDFW/Ch. 4, according to the Dallas Morning News. Abbott called Jenkins two-faced and accused him of abusing his position.
“The only reason why they want to increase requirements on people in Dallas County with regard to masks is so Judge Jenkins can play sheriff and go out and try to arrest people and put them behind bars,” Abbott said. “And putting people behind bars is the wrong thing. He should not be stoking hysteria.”
Jenkins said Tuesday and previously that no resident would be jailed for failing to wear a mask in public.
COVID-19 cases over time
Coronavirus daily case counts over time by local counties in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex. Tap the arrow button to replay the animation. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services and local counties.
Arlington school is latest to shut down workouts after player tests positive for COVID-19
Arlington Martin High School is the latest to shut down summer strength and conditioning programs after a student-athlete tested positive for the coronavirus, the district announced Tuesday.
Martin becomes the second school in Dallas-Fort Worth to have a student test positive for COVID-19 after Burleson High School announced its shutdown on Friday. Burleson has since announced that it plans to restart workouts on June 22.
The district said in a statement, “[On Monday], Arlington ISD officials were notified that a student attending the strength and conditioning camp at Martin High School tested positive for COVID-19. With guidance from Tarrant County Public Health and Arlington Public Health Authority, the district has postponed the camp until all parents have been notified and contact tracing is completed. The facilities will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
“All students and staff do receive daily screenings and temperature checks and work out in small groups as outlined in the Texas Education Agency guidelines.”
More than 500 student-athletes at Martin reported for strength and conditioning programs last week.
According to University Interscholastic League guidelines, each player will be pre-screened at the start of every week of workouts while some school districts have elected to run temperature checks every day.
Fort Worth police broke up about 150 gatherings during coronavirus restrictions
Fort Worth Police Department’s Pandemic Response Team broke up about 150 gatherings in about two months.
The seven-officer team was created during the stay-at-home orders designed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The idea was to educate the public about the order and the dangers of not following social-distancing guidelines.
The team mostly broke up gatherings of 10 to 100 people at parks, convenience stores and car washes on the east and west sides of Fort Worth. Sometimes police found either no violation or no gathering. They made no arrests.
The team shared the details of their visits with supervisors after each shift. Police shared those reports with the Star-Telegram.
Might the Dallas Cowboys-Pittsburgh Steelers HOF game get canceled due to COVID-19?
Is the Pro Football Hall of Fame game between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers in jeopardy of being canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic?
The game is set to take place on Aug. 6th from Canton, Ohio. and would kick off the NFL preseason.
But Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said if the game was scheduled to be played today it would be canceled.
And as for the scheduled game on Aug. 6th, he said it’s “highly unlikely” the contest would be played in front of a crowd.
What also seems likely is that if there is no crowd in Canton there likely won’t be a game, as the crowd is integral to the Hall of Fame game and the induction ceremonies.