Dallas County Reports Record COVID-19 Hospitalizations
As state and local officials continue to monitor the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and local businesses continue to reopen, there’s a lot of information to take in. Here are today’s bullet points:
- Dallas County Reports Record COVID-19 Hospitalizations
- ‘Never Again’ Pilgrimage Planned
- Perot Museum Announces Reopening
Dallas County Reports Record COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Dallas County Health and Human Services Thursday reported 392 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total case count to 15,648, as well as an additional five deaths.
The additional deaths include a 50-something-year-old Grand Prairie woman, a 60-something-year-old Dallas man, an 80-something-year-old Carrollton man, a 90-something-year-old Dallas man, and a 90-something-year-old Mesquite man. Four had been hospitalized and had underlying, high-risk health conditions. One died in the long-term care facility where he lived and didn’t have underlying, high-risk health conditions.
Of cases requiring hospitalization who reported employment, over 80% have been critical infrastructure workers, with a broad range of affected occupational sectors, including healthcare, transportation, food and agriculture, public works, finance, communications, clergy, first responders, and other essential functions. Of cases requiring hospitalization, more than two-thirds have been under 65 years of age, and about half do not have any high-risk chronic health conditions. Diabetes has been an underlying high-risk health condition reported in about a third of all hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
The county remains around 400 cases in a hospital or acute care setting, well above the previous sustained plateau of 300-350 hospitalizations. Additionally, the percentage of emergency room visits for COVID-19-like symptoms in Dallas County for a 24-hour period ending June 17, remained high at 586 visits, representing over 27% of all visits according to information reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson shared Thursday that 25 hospitals reported bed and ventilator statistics. Of 6,083 total beds, 4,228 (70%) were occupied, of 945 total ICU beds, 688 (73%) were occupied, and of 969 total ventilators, 335 (35%) were in use.
“Today we’re seeing our highest hospitalizations for COVID-19 ever reported in Dallas County at 423 and the number of hospitalizations across the metroplex area has shot up more than 200 to now being 923. This number is the one to watch most closely as this represents the tip of the iceberg that you can see and gives an indication to the amount of COVID-19 cases spreading in the community that you are yet to see. We had 392 new cases reported today and five deaths. This is the second highest number of new COVID- 19 cases ever reported, second only to yesterday.
I’m asking the Commissioner’s Court to consider an order requiring masks at businesses here in Dallas County. Recent medical studies and the reports coming from them tell us that masks are the single most important tool we have to stop the spread and surge in cases and infections that we are seeing and keep our economy moving. You don’t need to wait on the government to wear a mask when on public transportation or at businesses,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
Never Again Pilgrimage Planned
Here’s an event to keep in mind if you’re planning to be out and about this weekend.
Faith in Texas is hosting a march to the sites of the lynching of Allen Brooks in 1910, and the murder of Diamond Ross in 2018 as part of the ‘Never Again’ pilgrimage is in recognition of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The 1.4-mile pilgrimage will begin at 10 a.m. June 20 at the JFK Memorial Plaza on Main Street. The pilgrimage will end at the Frank Crowley Courts Building.
Perot Museum Announces Reopening
As usual, we end today’s digest with a bit of good news. The Perot Museum announced its reopening, with health protocols in place to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19.
