Dallas County Reports 893 New Positive 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases and 4 Deaths, Including 53 Probable Cases
Posted on 08/17/2021
City of Dallas

As of 3:00 pm, August 16, 2021, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 893 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 840 confirmed cases, and 53 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 283,582 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 47,524 probable cases (antigen test). A total of 4,248 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness. Today's press release includes the number of new cases from Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Today's press release includes the new case totals accumulated from Friday. Tomorrow's press release will include the numbers of new cases from Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Covid 19 Risk Level

High Risk Transmission

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 pop-up vaccination clinic at Fair Park will take place on Saturdays through September 18, from 8 am -2 pm in Lot 13 for Pfizer first and second doses.

The additional deaths being reported today include the following:

  • A man in his 40's who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 40's who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 50's who was a resident of the City of Cedar Hill. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 60's who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

To date, a total of 198 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; twenty-nine B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants; and twenty P.1 (Gamma) variants. Twenty-one have been hospitalized and three have died. One fully vaccinated patient subsequently became ill from B.1.1.7 infection and died. The provisional seven-day average of daily new confirmed and probable cases (by date of test collection) for CDC week 31 (week ending 8/7/21) was 949, which is a rate of 36.0 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

As of the week ending 8/7/2021, about 62% of Dallas County residents age 12 years and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including 86% of residents age 65 years and older; 70% of residents between 40-64 years of age; 57% of residents 25-39 years of age; 47% of residents 18-24 years of age; and 39% of residents 12-17 years of age. In the cities of Coppell and Sunnyvale, greater than 88% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. In the cities of Addison and Highland Park, about 80% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. (See below). About 84% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Week 31 were Dallas County residents who were not fully vaccinated. In Dallas County, 4,345 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals have been confirmed to date, of which 151 (3.5%) were hospitalized and 21 have died due to COVID-19.

Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 8/7/2021 (CDC week 31), 16.9% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. For week 31, 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 (5.4%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (23%) and RSV (30%). There are currently 45 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 4,430 residents and 2,531 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,134 have been hospitalized and 820 have died. About 20% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities.

There have been eight 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 646 residents and 228 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.

Covid 19 ImpatientsCovid 19 ER VisitsCovid 19 ICU Beds

Find a COVID-19 Vaccine Near You

"Today we report 893 cases and 4 additional deaths. These are the reports from Friday, tomorrow we will report a three-day total from Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. While there is legal uncertainty about whether schools and local government will be allowed to work to give us all the best chance to defeat COVID, save lives, and protect our economy, there is no question from the medical and scientific community leading the battle against COVID-19 about the efficacy of interventions such as vaccines. If you're eligible for vaccination, please get your vaccine as soon as possible. It's the best way to protect yourself, your community, especially those children too young to be vaccinated. The health experts also agree that wearing a mask when indoors outside your home will be critical to slowing the spread of COVID. We are at a point where medical resources are stretched to the greatest extent they've been during the pandemic, and we need your help to make sure that health care capacity isn't overwhelmed so everyone needing care can access it. Please wear your mask indoors when not in your own home. The resiliency and courage of the people of North Texas has been on display for 18 months, I am humbled to work alongside our health care workers, school leaders, and to see the sacrifices
our residents are making to defeat COVID. We can't all do everything, but we can all do something. Wear your mask, get vaccinated, if already vaccinated speak with your unvaccinated friends and family to respectfully provide information and answer their questions to help them get vaccinated and join the majority of Americans who have received vaccination., " 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:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

  • Avoid close contact outside your home: 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-based 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.

Additional information is available at the following websites: