Coronavirus live updates July 18: Here’s what to know in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
Dallas County reports 1,195 new cases
Dallas County officials reported another 1,195 coronavirus cases and 13 deaths on Friday, which makes this the deadliest week of the coronavirus pandemic so far.
This will be the worst week for deaths regardless of what numbers come out on Saturday, Judge Clay Jenkins said in a news release. There have been a total of 39,191 COVID-19 cases across Dallas County and 514 deaths.
The county has reported more than 1,000 daily cases every day for the past 15 days, including Friday.
All of the people whose deaths were announced on Friday had underlying health conditions, according to the release.
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.
Tarrant announces 474 coronavirus cases
Public health authorities in Tarrant County on Friday reported 474 new coronavirus cases and five deaths.
The deaths were of three people who lived in Fort Worth: women in their 40s, 60s and 80s; and a woman in her 50s from Arlington and a man in his 70s from Grand Prairie, Tarrant County Public Health said. Each had underlying health conditions.
Tarrant County has had 288 deaths in total from the COVID-19 virus, and 10,070 people have recovered.
The county has had 20,907 cases in total. It reported a record high 857 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.
About 72% of the county’s hospital beds are occupied, with COVID-19 patients taking up about 12% of the occupied beds.
Tarrant County hospital capacity
Hospital capacity by available beds and ventilators for Tarrant County. Data provided by Tarrant County Public Health.
Texas private religious schools can open amid COVID, AG says
Private religious schools may open when they want and won’t be affected by any local public health orders amid the spread of the novel coronavirus, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Friday.
His announcement came just hours after the Texas Education Agency issued a new advisory letting public schools limit in-person schooling for potentially the first two months of the 2020-21 school year — and delay the start of school — if that’s what is needed to keep students safe as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
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.
Texas schools can delay school, temporarily switch to online
Texas schools can limit in-person schooling for the first four weeks of the 2020-21 school year — and delay the start of school — if that’s what is needed to keep students safe as coronavirus cases continue to rise, according to a Texas Education Agency advisory released Friday.
Schools may delay in-person classes for another four weeks if they ask for and receive a waiver from the state.
“These changes give the needed flexibility for schools to effectively provide a smooth transition for students, teachers, and staff so that they will experience the safest and least disruptive mode of learning during the beginning of the school year,” according to a TEA statement.
Any student who doesn’t have access to reliable technology, though, would be able to attend classes in person during the “transition period.” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that the state will use $200 million in federal aid to buy computers and internet access to help families without to technology.
More needs to be done, Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said in a statement.
“The state education commissioner has given school districts additional time to reopen school buildings without a financial penalty, but irrelevant deadlines are not what educators and students need,” Molina said. “Educators, students and their parents need assurance that school buildings will not be reopened until it is safe to do so. Right now, with the pandemic still raging across Texas, we don’t know when that will be.
“We demand that Gov. Abbott issue a statewide order that all school buildings remain closed and all instruction be provided remotely until the pandemic has clearly begun to subside and it is safe to reopen school buildings under strict safety standards.”
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.
This story was originally published July 18, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
