City of Dallas COVID-19 Update: March 31

The following is an update on the City of Dallas’ planning and preparedness efforts regarding COVID-19 as of March 31, 2020. I hope you will check out the newsletter I sent out regarding the new emergency regulations and the press conference I held to give an update on actions the City of Dallas is planning to take to slow the spread of COVID-19.

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Positive cases of COVID-19

631 in Dallas County – 82 are new
147 in Collin County
155 in Tarrant County
191 in Denton County
2 in Kaufman County
4 in Rockwall County
15 in Ellis County

Lab Reports

As of 5:00 p.m. the City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management has received a report from six labs. Below are the numbers for Tuesday, March 31, 2020:

289 COVID-19 tests

51 positive

231 negative

Below are testing from labs numbers to date:

Total tests to date by DCHHS	525
Total tests to date private labs*	2,633
Total negative tests to date*	2,628
Total active cases	631
Total deaths	13
Total recovered	2

*Numbers as of March 13, 2020 to date, since the Mayor’s order went into effect

Updates from Dallas County

Dallas County held a press conference at 6 p.m. and discussed the following:
- The increase of clusters of COVID-19 cases appearing in nursing homes.
- There are 26 COVID-19 cases associated with long-term care facilities, including two deaths, that have been reported within the past week.
- Seventeen positive COVID-19 cases at the Dallas County Jail.
On March 31, Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) reported 82 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total case count in Dallas County to 631.
The twelfth and thirteenth deaths from COVID-19 are reported, including of a man in his 50s who was as resident of the city of Rowlett and a man in his 90s who was a resident of the city of Dallas. Both persons had other high-risk chronic health conditions.
The numbers of intensive care unit hospitalizations from COVID-19 from this past week have exceeded the peek week of ICU hospitalizations from influenza this past 2019-2020 season in Dallas County.
Please see attached summary. New cases are being reported as a daily aggregate, with a more detailed summary report updated Tuesdays and Fridays.

City Operations

Tonight it was confirmed a fourth Dallas Police Department officer has tested positive for COVID-19.
National Guardsmen started the setup of the Federal Medical Station (FMS) at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Set up is expected to be done Thursday.
The medical community is currently meeting to discuss hospital capacity and a mission will be turned over to the FMS.
A 48-hour notice will be given when the FMS is needed for activation.
It is important to note, the FMS is not a traditional hospital. Please continue to refer to it as a Federal Medical Station (FMS).
Mayor Eric Johnson issued a new set of emergency regulations that require hospitals to report daily information to the City regarding bed and ventilator capacity.
The regulations also suspend board and commission meetings — excluding the Park Board and City Plan Commission and any other boards and commissions required to meet for pursuant to, or in compliance with, state or federal law — through April 29.
Any meetings during that time must take place via teleconference or video conference.
In addition, the mayor updated the City’s emergency regulations to match Dallas County’s recent orders, including the new order regarding long-term care facilities and construction.
The Park Rangers now have an emergency style hotline to get Rangers out to park facilities where people are gathering illegally and otherwise violating park rules.

The number is 214-671-7000. The hotline is operable through April 30 during regular Ranger hours, which are:

7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday

10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

It was announced the federal government will discontinue support and supplies for the COVID-19 Community Based Testing Sites (CBTS) starting April 10.
The City and the County are currently assessing the resources and opportunity to continue to operate the CBTS beyond April 10. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to my office.

Best regards,

Eric Johnson
Mayor
City of Dallas
[email protected]
(214) 670-3301