DALLAS — As of 12:00 pm November 24, 2021 Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 329 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 265 confirmed cases and 64 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 348,692 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 64,144 probable cases (antigen test). A total of 5,207 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness. Due to the observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, Dallas County will not be releasing COVID-19 data on Thursday, November 25th through Sunday, November 28th. Reporting will resume Monday, November 29th. Monday’s reporting will be the COVID-19 data received on Wednesday, November 24th. Tuesday’s reporting will include data from Thursday the 25th through Monday the 29th.
Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) provided more than 500,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic, which operated January 11 through July 17. A weekly pop-up vaccination clinic will take place at Fair Park on Sundays, from 10am – 4pm, starting November 21st, 2021.
The additional deaths being reported today include the following:
- A man in his 20’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 30’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 40’s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. He expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He expired in an area hospital ED and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 50’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She was found deceased at home and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He was found deceased at home and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He was found deceased at home and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She expired in hospice and had underlying high risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She was found deceased at home and had underlying high risk health conditions.
To date, a total of 214 cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have been identified in residents of Dallas County, including: 146 cases of B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variants; three B.1.351 (Beta) variants; forty-five B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants; and twenty P.1 (Gamma) variants. Twenty-three have been hospitalized and four have
died. One fully vaccinated patient subsequently became ill from B.1.1.7 infection and died. As of 11/19/2021, a total of 1,806 confirmed and probable cases were reported in CDC week 45 (week ending 11/13/21), which is a weekly rate of 68.5 new cases per 100,000 residents.
As of the week ending 11/13/2021, about 75% of Dallas County residents age 12 years and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including: 93% of residents age 65 years and older; 80% of residents between 40-64 years of age; 70% of residents 25-39 years of age; 60% of residents 18-24 years of age; and 56% of residents 12-17 years of age. In the cities of Addison, Coppell, and Sunnyvale, greater than 95% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. In the cities of Farmers Branch, Garland, Highland Park and Irving, greater than 80% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. (See below).
About 72% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Week 45 were Dallas County residents who were not fully vaccinated. In Dallas County, 16,574 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals have been confirmed to date, of which 655 (4.0%) were hospitalized and 168 have died due to COVID-19. Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 11/13/2021 (CDC week 45), 5.2% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. For week 45, area hospital labs have continued to report elevated numbers and proportions of respiratory specimens that are positive for other respiratory viruses by molecular tests: parainfluenza (6.8%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (36%) and RSV (6.8%).
There are currently 26 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 4,887 residents and 2,904 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,174 have been hospitalized and 845 have died. About 17% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long- term care facilities. There have been 23 outbreaks of COVID-19 in a congregate-living facility (e.g. homeless shelters, group homes, and halfway homes) reported within the past 30 days. A cumulative total of 748 residents and 258 staff members in congregate-living facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with more detailed data dashboards and summary reports updated on Friday evenings, available at: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel- coronavirus/daily-updates.php.
Local health experts use hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and ER visits as three of the key indicators as part of determining the COVID-19 Risk Level (color-coded risk) and corresponding guidelines for activities during our COVID-19 response. The most recent COVID-19 hospitalization data for Dallas County, as reported to the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council, can be found at www.dallascounty.org/covid-19 under “Monitoring Data,” and is updated regularly. This data includes information on the total available ICU beds, suspected and confirmed COVID-19 ER visits in the last 24 hours, confirmed COVID-19 inpatients, and COVID-19 deaths by actual date of death. The most recent forecasting from UTSW can be found here.
“With Thanksgiving tomorrow, we will take a break on reporting from November 25th through November 28tth, so that the epidemiological staff can have a much needed break with their family. I’m so thankful for them, our first responders, our healthcare heroes, our school system employees, our essential workers, and everyone who has worked so hard these past 21 months. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve you and thankful for the spirit and the resilience of the people of north Texas. Please wear your mask when in large gatherings outside your home. Get your booster, if you have not done so already and have those courageous conversations around the holidays with family members and loved ones who’ve not yet been vaccinated so that they too can enjoy the protection of the vaccine and we can put COVID behind us. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
All Dallas County COVID-19 Updates and Information can be found here:
https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/ and all guidance documents can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/guidance-health.php
Specific Guidance for the Public:
- Dallas County COVID-19 Related Health Guidance for the Public
- Dallas County Measures for Protecting An Institution’s Workforce from COVID-19 Infection: Employer/Employee Guidance
- Dallas County Guidance for Individuals at High-Risk for Severe COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
- If you’re unvaccinated, avoid close contact outside your home and put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others and continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
- Stay home when you are sick, except to seek medical care
- Wash your hands often and with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and help young children to do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-base hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve, not your hands. Immediately wash your hands.
- Monitor your health daily. Be alert for symptoms. Take your temperature and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.
- CDC recommends that anyone with any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection.
- If you get tested because you have symptoms or were potentially exposed to the virus, you should stay away from others pending test results and follow the advice of your health care provider or a public health professional.
Additional information is available at the following websites:
- CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- CDC Travel Information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
- DSHS: https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/
- DCHHS: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus.php
