35 deaths, 1,815 new cases of COVID-19 in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton Counties Saturday – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

In the four major counties in northern Texas on Saturday, there were 35 more deaths from COVID-19 and another 1,815 new reported cases of the virus.

Details for Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties are below and are based on data reported on Saturday, February 27, by county officials, local health departments and the state health department.

Dallas County

Dallas County reported another 10 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday, along with 570 new cases of the virus. In the past seven days, the municipality has announced 3,732 new and probable cases of the virus, an average of 533 per day, and 135 deaths, an average of 19 deaths per day.

Since March 2020, the county has notified a total of 280,404 cases of the virus, including 245,278 confirmed cases (PCR) and 35,126 probable cases (antigen). There were 2,951 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 264,544 recoveries, leaving an estimated 12,909 active cases in the county.

Tarrant County

Tarrant County Public Health added an additional 13 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday, along with 645 new cases of the virus. In the past seven days, the municipality announced 3,576 new and probable cases of the virus, an average of 510 per day, and 97 deaths, an average of 14 deaths per day.

Since March 2020, the county has notified a total of 241,650 cases of the virus, including 205,676 confirmed cases (PCR) and 35,974 probable cases (antigen). There were 2,854 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 222,139 recoveries, leaving 16,660 estimated active cases in the county.

Denton County

Denton County Public Health reports an additional 349 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, with nine new deaths. Of the new cases notified, DCPH confirmed that 319 are active, while 30 have already approved the recovery protocol.

Since March 2020, Denton County has reported a total of 63,994 cases of the virus, including 48,806 confirmed cases (PCR) and 15,188 probable cases (antigen). There were 407 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 51,406 recoveries, leaving an estimated 12,180 active cases in the county.

Collin County

The Texas Department of Health Services reports three new deaths from COVID-19 in Collin County on Saturday, along with 175 new confirmed cases and 77 probable cases of the virus.

Since March 2020, the DSHS has reported a total of 83,100 cases of the virus in Collin County, including 69,920 confirmed cases (PCR) and 13,180 probable cases (antigen). There were 719 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 68,759 recoveries, leaving 13,622 estimated active cases in the county.

Want to get on a vaccine waiting list?

As the state begins to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to those in Phases 1A and 1B, county health departments have started making waiting lists for those who wish to be inoculated.

You can now register to receive vaccinations in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties. The links are below:

Waiting list links: Collin – Research Waiting List | Dallas | Denton | Tarrant

You don’t have to be a county resident to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in that county – registration is open to anyone in Texas. For those without Internet access, Tarrant County is also accepting applications by calling 817-248-6299. In Dallas County, call the DCHHS vaccine hotline at 1-855-IMMUNE9 (1-855-466-8639). In Denton County, call 940-349-2585.

The vaccine is currently being administered only to those who are part of Phases 1A and 1B, as described by the Texas Department of Health Services. Those in Phase 1A are frontline health professionals or residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1B includes those over 65 or those over 16 with a chronic medical condition that puts them at risk for serious illness.

The DSHS said on February 4 that they are still discussing when to expand the availability of the vaccine to group 1C and whether that group will include teachers or not.

Once vaccinated, people are expected to achieve some level of protection within a few weeks after the first injection, but full protection may not happen until a few weeks after the second injection. Even when fully vaccinated, it is still possible to be infected by the virus, as the vaccine does not offer 100% protection.

The Texas DSHS reports that the vaccine will not be readily available to the general public until late spring or early summer 2021.