This story will be continuously updated on July 5.
Dallas County has seen COVID-19 cases spike at an unprecedented level over the past week, entering a phase Judge Clay Jenkins called an "explosive surge" that continued on Sunday with 1,062 new cases reported.
Here's a look at the way the number of new cases being reported has grown each day.
- On Easter Sunday, April 12: Dallas County reported 79 new cases.
- On Mother’s Day, May 10: Dallas County reported 251 new cases.
- On Memorial Day, May 25: Dallas County reported 171 new cases.
Then on June 4, the county reported 285 new cases. By June 10, it hit 300 cases for the first time. One week later, on June 17, county officials said there were 413 new cases, passing the 400-mark for the first time.
Ten days after that, the county's reported numbers went up to 561 new cases on June 27, the first time more than 500 cases had been reported.
Then, this week the “explosive surge,” as Jenkins has called it, began.
- On Monday, June 29: Dallas County reported 572 new cases.
- On Tuesday, June 30: Dallas County reported 601 new cases.
- On Wednesday, July 1: Dallas County reported 544 new cases.
- On Thursday, July 2: Dallas County reported 708 new cases.
- On Friday, July 3: Dallas County reported 1,085 new cases.
- On Saturday, July 4: Dallas County reported 1,103 new cases.
- On Sunday, July 5: Dallas County reported 1,062 cases.
The county has now recorded 25,840 cases since tracking began in March, and at least 395 people who had the virus have died.
"Please move from selfishness to sacrifice for the benefit of your neighbors and community health and wear a mask within six feet of people outside your home," Jenkins tweeted Sunday.
Across North Texas, hospitalizations are up to unprecedented levels as well, hitting 1,562 patients with COVID-19 in local hospitals. The region currently has around 350 ICU beds available.
Across Texas, there are at least 8,181 people currently hospitalized with the disease, state officials report.
The state only reported 3,449 new cases for July 4, which is the lowest number since June 17, but it could have been swayed by the fact there were also half as many tests conducted compared to previous days.
Top updates for Sunday, July 5:
- Austin's mayor said the city's hospitals could run out of beds in the next two weeks and he is considering a new stay-at-home order. In Texas' Rio Grande Valley, 10 out of 12 hospitals are full.
- A Fort Worth bar is facing a 30-day shutdown after it held a July 4th "protest" party.
- The Tarrant Area Food Bank will hold its second large-scale food drive at Globe Life Field this Wednesday. Here are the details.
For a daily roundup of the biggest coronavirus news from around North Texas and beyond, sign up for the WFAA COVID-19 email newsletter.
Tarrant County reports 585 cases for July 2
County officials reported 585 new cases and 3 deaths Sunday for July 2's case count. The numbers normally would have been reported Friday, July 3, but the county did not report the past two days because of the July 4th holiday. The numbers for July 3 through July 5 will be shared Monday, officials say.
Hospitalizations, which are current, are at 533 people in the county. That number is up 172% since June 5.
Because Tarrant County is late on reporting, Texas' record-breaking number of new cases Saturday at 8,258 did not include any numbers from the county, and it won't on Sunday either.
The county has now surpassed 14,000 cases since tracking began in March. There have been at 5,618 people who have recovered while at least 236 people with the disease have died.
Collin County reports 112 new cases
Collin County health officials reported 112 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday afternoon, bringing the total case count to 3,521. There have been 2,682 recoveries and at least 46 confirmed deaths since tracking began in March.
Denton County sees 59 new cases, 11 new recoveries
Denton County officials said there were 59 new confirmed cases Sunday, increasing the county's total to 3,338 since tracking began in March.
Eleven people have also recovered from the disease, officials said, raising the county recovery count to 1,231 people who have had the virus. At least 37 people who had the novel coronavirus have died since tracking began, records show.
Dallas County hospital capacity numbers
The city of Dallas released the following numbers as reported Saturday by 25 hospitals.
City of Denton closes facilities as cases surge
Some city of Denton public facilities will be closed to the public or open by appointment only starting July 6 as cases have continued to exponentially climb in North Texas, city officials announced Sunday.
In accordance with Gov. Greg Abbott's mask order, everyone entering city facilities will be required to wear a face covering unless they are exempt under the order.
For a list of facilities impacted, click here.
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.
WFAA digital producers Jennifer Prohov and Jozelyn Escobedo contributed to this report.