As of 12:00 pm March 23, 2022, Dallas County Health and Human Services is reporting 421 additional positive cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Dallas County, 250 confirmed cases, and 171 probable cases. There is a cumulative total of 474,599 confirmed cases (PCR test). There is a cumulative total of 102,129 probable cases (antigen test). A total of 6,189 Dallas County residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 illness. The daily report of cases is based on when information is received and processed by DCHHS. While staff works through a backlog of cases, the most up-to-date information on the average number of daily cases based on test date can be found on the dashboard of COVID-19 cases listed on http://www.dallascountycovid.org/. As of today, the seven-day trailing average is 55 new reported cases per day.
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 from January 11 through July 17. A vaccination clinic is open at the Dallas College Eastfield Campus Location on Thursdays -Saturdays from 9 am-6 pm. A weekly pop-up vaccination clinic will also take place at Fair Park on Tuesdays from 12:30 pm-6 pm and on Sundays, from 10 am -4 pm.
The additional deaths being reported today include the following:
- A woman in her 30s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 40s 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 50s 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 50s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Farmers Branch. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Balch Springs. He was found deceased at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Richardson. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 70s who was a resident of the City of Garland. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80s 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 80s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
To date, a total of 1,830 cases with SARS-CoV-2 variants have been identified and investigated in residents of Dallas County, including 162 cases of B.1.1.7 (Alpha); 4 cases of B.1.351 (Beta); 1,440 cases of B.1.617.2 (Delta); 14 cases of B.1.427 (Epsilon); 20 cases of P.1 (Gamma); 9 cases of B.1.526 (Iota); 4 cases of C.37 (Lambda); 2 cases of B.1.621 (Mu); 174 cases of B.1.1.529 (Omicron); and 1 case of P.2 (Zeta). Three hundred and twenty-two cases have been hospitalized and 47 have died. Thirty COVID-19 variant cases were reinfections. Four hundred and seventy-nine people were considered fully vaccinated before infection with a COVID-19 variant.
As of 3/18/2022, a total of 386 confirmed and probable cases were reported in CDC week 10 (week ending 3/12/22), which is a weekly rate of 14.6 new cases per 100,000 residents.
As of the week ending 3/12/2022, about 81% of Dallas County residents age 12 years and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including 98% of residents age 65 years and older; 86% of residents between 40-64 years of age; 78% of residents 25-39 years of age; 67% of residents 18-24 years of age; and 62% of residents 12-17 years of age. In the cities of Addison, Coppell, Highland Park, Irving, and Sunnyvale, greater than 92% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In the cities of Cedar Hill, Desoto, Farmers Branch, Garland, Lancaster, and University Park, greater than 80% of residents 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
About 52.9% of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Week 10 were Dallas County residents who were not fully vaccinated. In Dallas County, 39,031 cases of COVID-19 breakthrough COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated inpiduals have been confirmed to date, of which 3,635 (9.3%) were hospitalized and 607 have died due to COVID-19.
Of all Dallas County residents tested for COVID-19 by PCR during the week ending 3/12/2022 (CDC week 10), 2.4% of respiratory specimens tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. For week 10, 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 (2.75%), rhinovirus/enterovirus (33.15%), and RSV (2.16%).
There are currently 25 active long-term care facility outbreaks. A cumulative total of 6,431 residents and 4,362 healthcare workers in long-term facilities in Dallas have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Of these, 1,313 have been hospitalized and 894 have died. About 16% of all deaths reported to date have been associated with long-term care facilities.
There have been 3 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 840 residents and 295 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. The most recent COVID-19 Data Summaries for Dallas County, TX can be found at the bottom of this page.
Find a COVID-19 Vaccine Near You
"Today's numbers are 421 new cases and 12 deaths. But, the numbers that we are currently reporting include a backlog of cases. Another accurate measure of cases reported by week is the dashboard of COVID-19 cases listed on http://www.dallascountycovid.org/, which shows a far lower number because it includes no backlogs of cases on which we are still catching up and tracks cases based on the date the test was taken and not when it was reported. And as a medical community, we are still catching up with cases from the Omicron wave. The fact that the dashboard is lower is good news, and it shows that the hard work of the people in north Texas is paying off. At this point, there are 639,833 people in Dallas County who are fully vaccinated, but have not received their booster. In order to continue public health benefits, freedom, and economic vitality that comes with low COVID numbers, it's important for those who have not received a booster to get their booster, and you can find a booster near you for free at Vaccines.gov. The best way to safely get back to normal is to be vaccinated, boosted, and to wear your mask when appropriate; not all the time, but in crowded spaces or around immunocompromised people. We can't do everything, but we can all do our part to continue lowering the threat of COVID-19 and getting North Texas to a new normal that is better for 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:
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: