There is “some good news” in the state of the coronavirus pandemic in Denton County.
Denton County Public Health Director Dr. Matt Richardson said during Tuesday’s County Commissioners Court meeting that COVID-19 hospitalizations are trending down to the levels of pre-Thanksgiving, around 15%, down from around 25%.
“That is good news,” Richardson said. “Hopefully that trend continues.”
COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Texas Health and Human Services Trauma Service Area E — which includes Denton County — have dropped below 15% for seven straight days, meeting the criteria for restaurants to increase capacity to 75% and for bars to reopen at 50% capacity, according to Executive Order GA-32 guidelines. Also, all licensed hospitals may resume elective surgeries.
Richardson said the “silver lining to the really dark winter cloud that was over the Metroplex last week” was the reduced ability for COVID-19 to spread.
“People were staying home because they couldn’t get out, and that was really a natural isolation period,” he said. “We hope we can see continued good news for the next two weeks.”
DCPH is resuming drive-thru vaccination clinics at Texas Motor Speedway this week, after cancelling them last week because of the storm.
DCPH announced 575 new COVID-19 cases in the county Wednesday, 525 of which are active, as well as 538 new recoveries. There are now 11,955 active cases in Denton County, down from a peak of more than 15,300 about a month ago, though today’s numbers may have been affected by delays caused by last week’s winter storm and consequent power outages.
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.
