Denton County Public Health announced Wednesday that 15 more residents have died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the countywide death toll to 363.
The deaths reported Wednesday include: seven residents of Denton, ranging in age from their 40s to over 80; four residents of Lewisville, ranging in age from their 50s to over 80, a Highland Village man in his 60s, a Shady Shores man in his 50s, a Frisco woman over 80 and a man over 80 who lived in unincorporated northeast Denton County.
“Today we are reporting 15 COVID-19 deaths of Denton County residents,” stated Denton County Judge Andy Eads. “We ask for you to keep their families and friends in your thoughts and prayers.”
Dr. Matt Richardson, DCPH director, has said many times that when DCPH reports COVID-19 deaths, these are deaths that have been determined to have been caused by COVID-19, not just someone who had the coronavirus and died of something else.
Despite the high number of COVID-19 deaths, there are some “encouraging” and “positive trends” in the local state of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Richardson.
During Tuesday’s County Commissioner Court meeting, Richardson informed the commissioners that the COVID-19 patient rate in Denton County hospitals is now at 19.4%, the lowest seven-day average since Christmas.
“It’s still high,” he said, “but we are trending in the right direction.”
Active case totals steadily rose from September through January, but they are plateauing and beginning to slowly decline, according to DCPH data.
DCPH also announced Wednesday that it has confirmed 726 new cases of COVID-19 in the county, 673 of which are active, as well as 586 new recoveries. There are now 14,889 active cases in the county.
To minimize spread of COVID-19, DCPH urges all community members to:
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance in public settings and when around individuals outside of the household
- Wear masks or face coverings, which should cover both the nose and mouth, in public settings and when around individuals outside of the household
- Wash and/or sanitize hands frequently
- Stay home if you are symptomatic, have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19, or have pending COVID-19 lab results
Click here for more information about COVID-19 vaccines in Denton County. For additional COVID-19 data including active case information by municipality, hospital capacity, and ventilator utilization, visit dentoncounty.gov/COVIDstats. For information regarding DCPH’s upcoming testing centers, visit dentoncounty.gov/COVID19testing. For additional COVID-19 health and safety recommendations, visit dentoncounty.gov/COVID19.
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