Tarrant County’s youngest COVID-19 death among 15 reported Wednesday

By Stefan Stevenson

December 9, 2020 2:34 PM

A 17-year-old Fort Worth boy is among the 15 latest COVID-related deaths reported by Tarrant County on Wednesday, according to Cook Children’s Medical Center.

He’s the youngest reported coronavirus death in the county. It’s the most COVID-related deaths since a pandemic high 22 were reported on Aug. 22. The county also reported 1,536 new cases Wednesday.

There have been three reported COVID deaths in the county between the ages of 17 and 24.

The 17-year-old boy had underlying health conditions, according to officials.

“Today we mourn the loss of Tarrant County’s first child to COVID-19,” Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja said in a news release. “Tarrant County Public Health has felt the loss of each of the 913 county residents, young and old, that have lost their fight. We ask now more than ever that our community act to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

Taneja asked residents to avoid all non-essential trips, to wear a mask, avoid group gatherings, and to wash their hands regularly.

“Let’s make sure we don’t lose another child to COVID-19,” he said.

The latest deaths also include an Everman man in his 50s, a Haltom City man in his 50s, an Arlington man in his 60s, a Euless man in his 70s, an Arlington man in his 70s, three Fort Worth men and a woman in their 70s, an Arlington man in his 80s, a Kennedale man in his 80s, Arlington women in their 80s and 90s, a Fort Worth man in his 90s. All 15 had underlying health conditions, according to officials. It’s the first reported COVID death in Everman.

Tarrant County has reported a total of 114,261 COVID-19 cases, including 913 deaths and an estimated 81,507 recoveries.

There are currently 890 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the county, six shy of the pandemic high of 896 on Dec. 1.

There are 311 ventilators being used in county hospitals, which is 43% of the total ventilators available as of Tuesday. The rate matches the pandemic high on July 15, when there were fewer total ventilators available.

COVID-19 hospitalizations were at 22% of the 4,077 occupied beds in Tarrant County as of Tuesday. The rate was at a pandemic high 24% on Nov. 30.

As of Tuesday, 80% of the county’s hospital beds were in use, according to county data. The pandemic high of 82% was set on Dec. 2. There are currently 1,046 available beds in the county. A pandemic low of 906 available beds was reported Dec. 2.

Confirmed COVID-19 patients dropped by one percentage point to using 17% of all available hospital beds in the county as of Tuesday.

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. 9:

Fort Worth, 442
Arlington, 168
Mansfield, 31
White Settlement, 31
Grapevine, 25
Keller, 22
Azle, 21
Bedford, 21
Benbrook, 16
Grand Prairie, 14
Haltom City, 14
Rural Tarrant County, 14
Hurst, 11
North Richland Hills, 11
Forest Hill, 10
Euless, 9
Southlake, 9
Lake Worth, 7
Kennedale, 5
Richland Hills, 5
Sansom Park, 5
Watauga, 5
Crowley, 4
Saginaw, 3
Unknown, 2
Blue Mound, 1
Burleson, 1
Edgecliff Village, 1
Everman, 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.