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.

Trinity River trash buildup was already a huge challenge. COVID-19 hasn’t helped.

With their entertainment options limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, Fort Worth residents flocked to city parks and the Trinity Trails this summer in the hopes of safely enjoying some sunshine and scenic nature views. At times, the influx of visitors led to overflowing trash cans and overworked maintenance staff trying to keep up with demand.

Laurie Stelljes, who has participated in Fort Worth nature cleanups for the past decade, walks the trails regularly and saw the increased traffic to outdoor areas in real time. What stood out to her, though, was an issue that has concerned water district officials, city leaders and residents for years: the visible buildup of trash in the Trinity River, and the litter along city streets and sidewalks that causes it.

With more people enjoying nature, the eyesore and environmental consequences of water bottles, Styrofoam and single-use plastic bags in the Trinity is even more pronounced, Stelljes said. She is especially concerned about animals ingesting plastics and the impact of plastic pollution on water quality.

“There’s got to be something that can be done to instill a little pride in our area,” Stelljes, an executive committee member of the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club, said. “You want tourists to come and enjoy our river because it’s beautiful. You don’t want them to go home thinking, ‘God, I liked Fort Worth but there was so much trash.’”

The trash pollution issue did not start with the uptick in people using outdoor facilities during the COVID-19 crisis, nor will it end when the pandemic subsides, according to Tarrant Regional Water District officials and residents who regularly volunteer to clean the river.

Some Texas teachers fear return to in-person classes. But they’re afraid to speak up.

Angela Guthrie received a call in early August from an assistant principal at Summit High School, where she teaches advanced placement English. The school, which is part of the Mansfield Independent School District, needed one teacher for online classes and another for in-person classes.

Guthrie’s mother has terminal cancer, so she asked to teach virtually even though one of her favorite places for the past 25 years has been in a classroom teaching her students about language and composition.

“I said, ‘I think it would be best for my mom because she can’t get COVID. That way, I can spend as much time as possible with her without risk of exposing her,’ ” Guthrie said.

The assistant principal called her back the next day and said the school had decided to put another person in the virtual teaching position and have Guthrie teach in person, Guthrie said.

“He said my AP scores were so high that they needed me in person in front of those kids because that’s what’s best for students,” she said. “It made me feel like they don’t care at all about teachers.”

Across the state, many teachers are concerned they have been pushed to return to in-person lessons or risk losing their jobs. And there are secondary concerns about finding substitutes when teachers fall ill and about the long-term effects of the situation on the number of people who choose the teaching profession.

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.

Steve Wilson swilson@star-telegram.com

Tarrant County reports over 400 COVID cases, but most are from lab backlog

Tarrant County reported 420 coronavirus cases and four deaths on Wednesday.

The county has reported at least 400 new COVID-19 cases in consecutive days for the first time since Aug. 16, when more than 1,400 cases were reported in consecutive days. There have been 400 or more cases reported three days in September, including the past two days.

Of Wednesday’s cases, however, 239 are unreported cases from at least 30 days ago. The Texas Department of State Health Services’ data reporting system has had a backlog and is working to add unreported cases.

The latest deaths include a Fort Worth woman in her 50s, a Fort Worth man in his 60s, a Southlake man in his 70s, and a Fort Worth man in his 70s. All had underlying health conditions, according to officials.

Tarrant County has reported a total of 45,582 COVID-19 cases, including 612 deaths and 40,077 recoveries.

Dallas County reported 311 cases and six deaths on Wednesday. Of the new cases, 86 were unreported from earlier in the pandemic. Dallas County has confirmed 76,149 COVID-19 cases, including 985 deaths.

Why are Dallas Cowboys players barring their families from coming to Sunday’s game?

Not only is Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones allowing — he’s actually encouraging — fans to come to games at AT&T Stadium this season smack dab in the middle of the global pandemic.

The Cowboys will likely have the largest crowd in the NFL season to date on Sunday when 25 percent, or roughly 20,000 fans, are expected to be in the stands for Sunday’s home opener against the Atlanta Falcons with a few thousand more in the 380 suites at the 11-year-old, $1.2 billion stadium.

The Cowboys’ crowd will be well under the 50 percent capacity previously set by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

While the Cowboys players will be excited to see fans in the stands after playing the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams before an empty crowd at SoFi Stadium last Sunday due to COVID-19 restrictions in California, don’t look for many of their family members to be in attendance.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott usually has an end zone suite for his mom and sisters at AT&T Stadium, but it will be empty in 2020.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy reveals how many fans will be at AT&T Stadium

The Dallas Cowboys will have a capacity of about 25% for their home opener against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium when kickoff takes place at noon Sunday.

Since the Arlington venue has an official seated capacity of 80,000, that means that approximately 20,000 fans will be able to take seats inside the stadium. The team’s policy on suite attendance has not been shared publically, and the team will not sell standing-room only tickets.

If the Cowboys do approach 20,000 fans that would be the largest NFL attendance this season. Only two of 16 teams — the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars — allowed fans during Week 1 last weekend, with neither venue exceeding 17,000 fans.

On Wednesday morning, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said capacity will be 25% on Sunday. However, beyond that, the details on how many fans will be allowed in the suites and how that will impact the overall attendance capacity is unclear. Team owner and general manager Jerry Jones had previously repeatedly said the team won’t announce an official capacity figure until the day of the game.