This story will be continuously updated on July 7.
Tarrant County reported 10 deaths while Dallas County reported a fifth day of more than 1,000 cases on Tuesday, according to health officials. There were 118 new cases in Collin County and 56 in Denton County.
Tuesday marks the highest number of daily cases reported statewide with 10,028 new cases.
Fewer cases were reported in Collin, Tarrant, Denton and Dallas counties Tuesday compared to Monday.
Dallas County reported 1,077 new positive cases and nine additional deaths Tuesday, officials said.
Seven out of the nine people who died did not have underlying health conditions. Their ages ranged from a Dallas man in his 60's to a Mesquite man in his 90's.
Tuesday marks the fifth day of more than 1,000 cases in Dallas County:
July 3: 1,085 cases and six deaths
July 4: 1,103 cases and two deaths
July 5: 1,062 cases and no new deaths
July 6: 1,214 cases and six deaths
Top updates for Tuesday, July 7:
- Hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are working to save bed space and keep their workforce healthy as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to climb.
- The Texas Workforce Commission overpaid $32 million to 46,000 unemployed workers. And now it wants that money back.
- The CDC is warning the public against wearing certain types of masks that could make them more at risk than others.
Tarrant County reports 757 new cases of COVID-19
Tarrant County health officials reported 757 additional positive cases of COVID-19 and 10 new deaths on Tuesday.
The deaths include a man in his 80s, a woman in her 50s, a man in his 30s and a man in his 70s, all from Fort Worth; two women in their 80s from Mansfield, a woman in her 80s and a man in his 60s, both from Arlington and a man in his 90s and a man in his 50s, both from Grand Prairie. All had underlying health conditions, health officials said.
There have been 248 deaths and 15,585 positive cases in the county since tracking began in March.
There have been 6,686 recoveries.
Hospitalizations across Texas jump by more than 500 people in a single day
New cases and hospitalizations have not slowed down across Texas since the beginning of June, with surging numbers meaning new highs almost every day.
And a new high was reached yet again Monday when the number of statewide hospitalizations jumped by more than 500 COVID-19 patients in a single day to about 8,698 people.
It's one of the largest single-day increases in hospitalizations Texas has seen since the pandemic began, state data shows.
North Texas accounts for roughly 18.5% of those patients, with around 1,607 people currently hospitalized in the region.
The region around Houston leads the state in hospitalizations, as it reported about 2,656 COVID-19 patients in local hospitals Monday. At the same time, the region is running low on ICU beds, with around 154 currently available, according to state data.
But Houston is not the only region with a low number of ICU beds. Some of the areas around Southern Texas including Laredo and Corpus Christi have seen available ICU beds dwindle down to the single digits, state data shows. And in McAllen, where there are more than 950 patients hospitalized, there are currently 43 ICU beds available.
State Fair of Texas canceled for 2020 season
Organizers announced Tuesday that the State Fair of Texas had been canceled for the 2020 season due to COVID-19.
Those who already purchased tickets or passes will be issued refunds automatically, officials said.
The 2021 state fair will take place from Sept. 24 through Oct. 17.
Collin County officials report two more deaths
Two more Collin County residents with COVID-19 have died, officials said Tuesday. The latest victims are a 77-year-old Fairview man who died on June 20 and a 61-year-old Plano man who died at home on July 6. Both men had underlying health conditions.
Their deaths raise the county's total to 49 people who have died since the pandemic began.
The county has had 3,707 total cases, of which 2,758 people have recovered so far.
Dallas County Commissioners expected to approve additional $30 million for business program
The Dallas County Commissioners are expected to vote on and approve an additional $30 million for the county's Emergency Business Assistance Program (EBAP) to help small businesses, officials say.
The county leaders will also learn about changes to the program aimed at help small businesses, including the expansion of the program's eligibility requirements for forgivable loans, a news release from Commissioner Elba Garcia's office said.
The maximum for those loans will be increased as well.
The Commissioners Court meeting will begin at 9 a.m. You can watch it here.
Dallas releases hospital capacity numbers
The city of Dallas released the aggregate capacity totals for Monday, as reported by 25 hospitals.
- Total beds: 6,106
- Beds occupied: 3,995
- Total ICU beds: 968
- ICU beds occupied: 674
- Total ventilators: 960
- Ventilators in use: 357
Health experts recommend taking the following actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19:
- Wear a face covering.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Practice "social distancing" and stay at least 6 feet away from others and avoid large public gatherings
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
- Consult CDC’s travel website for any travel advisories and steps to protect yourself if you plan to travel outside of the U.S.