Dallas County reports its deadliest week from COVID-19
DALLAS - Dallas County closed out the week with four new deaths from COVID-19, making this the deadliest week from the coronavirus for the county.
Health officials also reported 1,101 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, which is the ninth day in a row there has more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases reported.
There were 54 total deaths reported this week in Dallas County, and the average number of daily cases was 1,121.
Saturday's new cases brings the county's totals to 32,626 cases and 449 deaths from the coronavirus.
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Because cases continue to surge, there is a big focus on hospitals.
Right now, 1,900 COVID-19 patients are in DFW area hospitals, according to state numbers, and there are nearly 800 people in Dallas county hospitals.
Hospitalizations continue to rise daily, with hundreds continuing to be in county emergency rooms and occupying ICU beds.
Stephen Love, with the DFW Hospital Council, said hospitals are continuing to handle the surge right now, but admits that if things don’t change soon, we could be talking about hospitals being at capacity.
“We constantly look at workforce bringing temporary people. What we are concerned about in terms of workforce is if in another two to three weeks, we more than double twice what we are now,” Love said. “No one hospital is in complete surge capacity, where they have no room. I will tell you if the infection rates continue and we continue the doubling effect, that discussion could change very quickly.”
Love said area hospitals have moved patients within their system.
He said it helps with PPE and workforce.
A federal disaster response team of healthcare professionals has been called in help North Texas hospitals care for coronavirus patients.
Tarrant County reported 423 new COVID-19 cases and six new deaths on Saturday, while Collin County reported 151 new cases and no deaths, and Denton County reported 127 new cases and one new death.