Tarrant County reports 9 COVID deaths, most new cases in more than a month
Tarrant County reported nine COVID-19 deaths and 736 new cases on Thursday.
It’s the most new cases the county has reported since 904 on Oct. 28.
The latest COVID-related deaths include an Arlington man in his 40s, a Saginaw man in his 60s, a Fort Worth woman in her 60s, a Euless man in his 60s, two Arlington men in their 70s, a Mansfield woman in her 80s, an Arlington woman in her 80s, and a Bedford woman older than 90.
All nine had underlying health conditions, according to officials.
The county has reported 371,974 COVID-19 cases, including 4,915 deaths and an estimated 361,034 recoveries.
Note to readers: Tarrant County does not release data on the vaccination status of recently diagnosed patients or deaths. Officials have released this type of data once in June and it showed that nearly 100% of the new cases reported at the time (from May to mid-June) were in people who were not vaccinated. Further, county officials said fewer than 200 of those new cases at the time were in previously vaccinated Tarrant residents.
COVID-19 hospitalizations
Hospitalized COVID patients increased by 10 to 240 in the latest seven-day moving average. The pandemic high was 1,528 on Jan. 6.
COVID-19 hospitalizations remained at 5% of the total number of beds in Tarrant County and make up 6% of the 3,999 occupied beds. The rate was at a pandemic-high 38% on Jan. 10.
Confirmed COVID patients decreased to 5.27% from 5.30% of all available hospital beds in the North Central Texas Trauma Region, which includes 45 counties (divided into three regions). The rate has been below 15% since Oct. 1.
Hospital beds
Tarrant County’s hospital bed occupancy decreased to 86% from 87%, according to county data. Available hospital beds increased by 56 to 650. The pandemic low was 360 on Sept. 20.
ICU beds
Adult ICU bed occupancy increased to 92% from 89%. The rate was last at a pandemic-high 99% on Oct. 7. Ventilator use decreased by 12 to 231. Patients are using 30% of the 759 ventilators in the county.
Positivity rate
The COVID-19 positive test rate for Tarrant County increased to 7.79% from 7.55% in the latest available seven-day average data. The rate was last at a pandemic-high 30% on Jan. 7.
Vaccination data
Children ages 5 and older are now eligible for vaccination, so the following vaccination percentages have been altered by the Texas Department of State Health Services to reflect that larger population.
According to Texas DSHS, 63.89% of Tarrant County residents 5 or older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 56.29% of residents 5 or older have been fully vaccinated.
DSHS also reports that 90.40% of Tarrant residents 65 or older have received at least one dose, and 83.71% of residents 65 or older have been fully vaccinated.
More than 69.04% of Texas residents 5 or older have received at least one dose, according to DSHS. The rate of fully vaccinated Texas residents 5 or older is at 59.21%.
Tarrant County is offering free COVID-19 vaccines and testing at locations throughout the area.
Tarrant County COVID-19 deaths by city
Here are the total pandemic-related deaths in Tarrant County by city through Dec. 2:
- Fort Worth, 2,040
- Arlington, 929
- Mansfield, 187
- North Richland Hills, 178
- Bedford, 145
- Haltom City, 124
- Hurst, 112
- Rural Tarrant County, 112
- Euless, 111
- White Settlement, 99
- Grapevine, 92
- Keller, 83
- Azle, 70
- Benbrook, 70
- Watauga, 63
Grand Prairie, 55
Saginaw, 54
Crowley, 52
Richland Hills, 47
Sansom Park, 39
Forest Hill, 38
Southlake, 36
Lake Worth, 28
Kennedale, 22
River Oaks, 22
Colleyville, 21
Everman, 17
Pelican Bay, 10
Westworth Village, 10
Blue Mound, 9
Burleson, 9
Edgecliff Village, 8
Pantego, 8
Unknown, 6
Lakeside, 5
Dalworthington Gardens, 2
Flower Mound, 1
Haslet, 1