Coronavirus

Tarrant reports most COVID deaths since September; ventilator use nears pandemic high

By Stefan Stevenson

Updated December 7, 2020 5:42 PM

Tarrant County reported 1,850 new coronavirus cases and 11 deaths on Monday.

It’s the third highest single-day total of the pandemic and most deaths since 13 were reported on Sept. 19. The county has reported at least 1,300 cases each day in December.

The latest COVID-related deaths include a Fort Worth man in his 50s, an Azle woman in her 60s, a Fort Worth woman in her 60s, an Arlington woman in her 70s, a Haltom City man in his 70s, a Bedford man in his 80s, an Arlington man and woman in their 80s, a Crowley woman in her 80s, a Fort Worth man in his 90s, and a Sansom Park woman in her 90s. Each had underlying health conditions, according to officials.

There are currently 875 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the county. The pandemic high was 896 on Tuesday.

There are 312 ventilators being used in county hospitals, which is 41% of the total ventilators available as of Sunday. Ventilator usage hit a pandemic high rate of 43% on July 15, when there were fewer total ventilators available.

Tarrant County has reported a total of 111,865 COVID-19 cases, including 885 deaths and an estimated 79,093 recoveries.

COVID-19 hospitalizations were at 23% of the 3,725 occupied beds in Tarrant County as of Sunday. The rate was at a pandemic high 24% on Nov. 30.

As of Sunday, 75% of the county’s hospital beds were in use, according to county data. The pandemic high of 82% was set on Wednesday. There are currently 1,236 available beds in the county. A pandemic low of 906 available beds was reported Wednesday.

Confirmed COVID-19 patients are filling 18% of all available beds in the county as of Sunday. That matches the pandemic high of 18% on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 hospitalization rate in the 19-county North Texas Trauma Area was at 15.9% on Monday. The rate had been below 15% the previous two days. Gov. Greg Abbott has mandated that if a region’s hospital capacity exceeds 15% for seven consecutive days, bars must close and other businesses must reduce their capacity to 50% until the hospitalization rate falls below 15% for seven consecutive days. The region recorded seven consecutive days above the threshold on Thursday.

COVID-19 causes respiratory illness with cough, fever and shortness of breath and may lead to bronchitis and severe pneumonia. For more information go to coronavirus.tarrantcounty.com or call the Tarrant County Public Health information line, 817-248-6299.

Here are the total pandemic-related deaths in Tarrant County by city through Dec. 7:

Fort Worth, 428
Arlington, 162
Mansfield, 31
White Settlement, 30
Grapevine, 24
Keller, 22
Azle, 21
Bedford, 21
Benbrook, 16
Grand Prairie, 14
Rural Tarrant County, 14
Haltom City, 13
Hurst, 11
North Richland Hills, 11
Forest Hill, 9
Southlake, 9
Euless, 7
Lake Worth, 7
Richland Hills, 5
Sansom Park, 5
Watauga, 5
Crowley, 4
Kennedale, 4
Saginaw, 3
Unknown, 2
Blue Mound, 1
Burleson, 1
Edgecliff Village, 1
Lakeside, 1
Pantego, 1
River Oaks, 1
Westworth Village, 1

Texas COVID-19 cases over time

Texas daily coronavirus case counts over time, and the ten counties with the most cases. Tap the arrow button to replay the animation.