Tarrant hits pandemic high in positive COVID test rate, reports 13 deaths, 3,739 cases
Tarrant County is experiencing an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases and hit a pandemic high 35.38% positive test rate in its seven-day average on Monday.
The rate was less than 10% just two weeks ago.
The county also reported 3,739 new COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths on Monday. The latest totals include reports through Thursday (Dec. 30).
The latest COVID-related deaths include a North Richland Hills woman in her 30s, an Arlington woman in her 30s, a Fort Worth man in his 50s, a Grand Prairie woman in her 50s, an Arlington man in his 60s, a Fort Worth man in his 60s, a River Oaks woman in her 70s, an Arlington woman in her 80s, an Everman woman in her 80s, a River Oaks woman in her 80s, a Fort Worth man in her 80s, a Grand Prairie man older than 90, and a Fort Worth woman older than 90. All 13 had underlying health conditions, according to officials.
Tarrant County has reported 391,660 COVID-19 cases, including 5,036 deaths and an estimated 369,746 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 to 745 in the latest seven-day moving average. The pandemic high was 1,528 on Jan. 6.
COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to 19% of the total number of beds in Tarrant County and make up 22% of the 3,449 occupied beds. The rate was at a pandemic-high 38% on Jan. 10.
Confirmed COVID patients increased to 10.79% 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 increased to 89%, according to county data. Available hospital beds decreased 431. The pandemic low was 360 on Sept. 20.
ICU beds
Adult ICU bed occupancy increased to 94%. The rate was last at a pandemic-high 99% on Oct. 7. Ventilator use is at 222. Patients are using 27% of the 827 ventilators in the county.
Positivity rate
The COVID-19 positive test rate for Tarrant County increased to a pandemic-high 35.38% in the latest available seven-day-average data. The previous high was 31.18% on Jan. 6. The rate has been increasing since Dec. 12.
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, 65.98% of Tarrant County residents 5 or older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 57.92% of residents 5 or older have been fully vaccinated.
DSHS also reports that 91.54% of Tarrant residents 65 or older have received at least one dose, and 84.08% of residents 65 or older have been fully vaccinated.
More than 71.97% 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 61.20%.
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 Jan. 3:
- Fort Worth, 2,090
- Arlington, 959
- Mansfield, 190
- North Richland Hills, 180
- Bedford, 146
- Haltom City, 125
- Rural Tarrant County, 116
- Euless, 115
- Hurst, 114
- White Settlement, 99
- Grapevine, 92
- Keller, 84
- Benbrook, 73
- Azle, 71
- Watauga, 67
Grand Prairie, 59
Saginaw, 55
Crowley, 53
Richland Hills, 47
Sansom Park, 42
Forest Hill, 38
Southlake, 36
Lake Worth, 28
River Oaks, 24
Colleyville, 23
Kennedale, 23
Everman, 18
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
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.
Tarrant County hospital capacity
Hospital capacity by available beds and ventilators for Tarrant County. Data provided by Tarrant County Public Health.
This story was originally published January 3, 2022 at 4:50 PM.
