Dallas County Reports Eighth and Ninth COVID-19 Deaths, 72 New Cases
Dallas County officials reported 72 additional positive cases of COVID-19 Saturday, and two new deaths, meaning that cases have more than quadrupled in a week, when there were 95 cases as of March 21.
The latest cases bring the total count to 439 in Dallas County. Officials said that of cases requiring hospitalization, about 67% have been either older than 60 years of age or have had at least one known high-risk chronic health condition.
Hospitalizations from the novel coronavirus are increasing, too, the county said, with 36% of all hospitalized patients ending up in intensive care units.
The two latest deaths are the eighth and ninth for the county. One was a DeSoto man in his 50s with no underlying conditions, and one was a Dallas resident in his 70s. Both had been critically ill in area hospitals.
“One of today’s deaths is a man in his 50s with no known underlying conditions. This serves as a sober reminder that COVID-19 is a dangerous disease for everyone and is why it’s so important that we all need to stay home to stay safe. I am so proud of the work of our first responders, health heroes, and our executive teams, but I’m also proud of the spirit of community that we are seeing through North Texas. Together, we’ll #flattenthecurve,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
