As COVID-19 hospitalizations rise in Dallas County, Jenkins urges Abbott heed experts
Dallas County reported more than 400 new coronavirus cases for the fourth time in the past five days and confirmed six more deaths on Thursday.
The county’s 403 new cases pushed its total confirmed COVID-19 cases to 18,538, including 334 deaths.
The six latest deaths were all Dallas residents, including five who had no underlying health conditions. The deaths include a man in his 60s, a man and a woman in their 70s, and two men and a woman in their 80s. One of the men in his 80s was a resident of a long-term care facility.
County health officials have reported more than 31 children and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at 18 separate child care facilities since June 1. Increasing outbreaks are also being reported from multiple large social gatherings since the beginning of June, officials said.
For a 24-hour period ending June 24, 701 patients visited Dallas County emergency rooms with COVID-19 symptoms.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins called on surrounding leaders to follow the county’s lead in requiring businesses to enforce face coverings for all employees and patrons. Tarrant County leaders announced a similar order Thursday that goes into effect at 6 p.m. Friday. Jenkins also urged Gov. Greg Abbott to make the face covering order, if not statewide, at least in the major metro population centers such as DFW, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
“In May, when the Governor took over the COVID-19 response from the local leaders, he restricted our ability to either keep the ordinances in place that we had or work with businesses and healthcare to create new ones,” Jenkins said in a release. “At this point with the speed of the spread, it would be most beneficial if the Governor would act on a regional or statewide basis to quickly follow the advice of the top doctors on infectious disease, epidemiology, and public health in Harris, Dallas, Bexar, and Travis Counties.”
Jenkins said restoring the traditional powers of local leaders to deal with the pandemic “would allow us more tools to reverse this disturbing trend.”
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.
Estimated active cases over time
Coronavirus daily active case estimates by local counties in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex, beginning April 8, 2020. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services.
This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 5:05 PM.
