20 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in North Texas

Dallas ISD middle school student tests positive for COVID-19 coronavirus

A Dallas ISD middle school student has tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus, district officials said on Tuesday in a letter to parents.

DALLAS - Twenty confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in six North Texas counties on Wednesday.

Dallas County Health and Human Services said there are 11 new cases – seven in Dallas, one in Coppell, one in Irving, one in Mesquite and one in Richardson.

Of the 11 new cases, one person is a teenager, one is in her 20s, two are in their 30s, one is in his 40s, five are in their 50s and one is in his 70s. Only three of the new patients are hospitalized, including one in a critical care unit.

It’s not clear how five of the new patients contracted the virus because they have not traveled and have not been in close contact with anyone else who is infected.

“We will get through this, North Texas, by following the science and exercising personal responsibility. You should limit unnecessary trips beyond work and necessities like food and medical care. Every interaction in this outbreak carries some risk of spread,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

The 11 new cases bring the total number of cases in Dallas County to 39.

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Tarrant County announced two new cases on Wednesday. Officials there declined to give any information about the patients, other than saying one of them had traveled out of state while the other's travel history is still being investigated. Both are isolating at home. Tarrant County has had a total of nine confirmed cases, with one death.

Collin County is reporting its 9th, 10th, 11th cases -- a 32-year old female from Plano with no underlying health conditions, a 64-year-old man who tested positive after his death and 39-year-old McKinney man with no underlying medical conditions. Both the Plano woman and McKinney are are self-isolating at their respective homes.

Johnson County reported its first confirmed case on Wednesday. Officials said the patient was a man in his 40s in the northeast portion of the county. Due to the positive result, county leaders are working on a disaster declaration and will issue restrictions on gatherings.

Denton County confirmed two additional cases Wednesday, bringing its total to 5.

Ellis County announced its first case Tuesday afternoon.

There have been three deaths, so far, statewide in Texas.

Coronavirus health tips

While COVID-19 is a new respiratory virus, daily precautions recommended to prevent respiratory illnesses are the same:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer when you can't wash your hands.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, use the elbow of your sleeve. Don’t use your hands to cover coughs and sneezes.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home when you are sick and keep children home when they are sick.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

• Get a flu shot. (Although the flu shot does not protect against COVID-19, it is flu season.)

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