2 more COVID-19 deaths, rising cases reported in Denton County

Denton County Public Health announced this week that two more county residents have died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the countywide COVID-19 death toll to 630.

The deaths reported Thursday were that of two men from unincorporated southeast Denton County, one in his 40s and the other in his 60s.

“DCPH has confirmed an additional two deaths due to COVID-19 in Denton County residents,” said Denton County Judge Andy Eads. “We ask you to please keep these individuals’ families and friends in your thoughts and prayers.”

DCPH Director Dr. Matt Richardson has said multiple times that DCPH only rules a resident’s death as a COVID-19 death if it is determined that the person died as a result of COVID-19, not when someone has COVID-19 but dies primarily of another cause.

The number of active cases in Denton County was rapidly declining early this year and slowed throughout the spring and early summer. The case count actually started to slowly rise again earlier this month. Friday’s active case count is 2,410, up from 1,444 on July 6 and 1,846 one week ago, according to DCPH data. This rise in cases coincides with the increased prevalence of the more contagious Delta variant, according to DCPH.

This week, Richardson said that about 45% of eligible Denton County residents are still not fully vaccinated, and the overwhelming majority of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations involve unvaccinated patients.

To minimize spread of COVID-19, DCPH urges people 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
• When eligible and available to you, get your COVID-19 vaccine

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.