Denton County health officials are reporting a dramatic surge in the number of new COVID-19 cases. That's also leading to an increase in the number of people hospitalized because of the virus.
"Omicron is indeed another surge and another wave in Denton County," said Denton County Public Health Director Matt Richardson. He presented data to Denton County Commissioners indicating that the current hospitalization rate in the county is 20 percent.
"So...one in five people in Denton County hospitals has COVID-19," he said.
Richardson is also concerned about the increase in the number of people testing positive for the virus, even as the demand for testing goes up.
"This is an unprecedented, meteoric rise in positivity," he said. "At Halloween, five percent positivity...December 15th, 10 percent positivity. Yesterday...35 percent positivity. That is stratosphere level."
Denton County is offering drive-through COVID testing sites in Denton and Lewisville. All of the appointments for this week are taken, but appointments are available for next week.
County officials are urging people to register for appointments in advance on-line .
Those drive-through clinics will be at the Denton County Public Health offices Loop 288 on Monday, January 10th, and Wednesday, January 12th. There will also be drive-through clinics at the Westside Baptist Church in Lewisville on Tuesday, January 11th, and Thursday, January 13th.
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