The Texas Department of State Health Services says COVID-19 patients have now used more than 15% of hospital beds in North Texas for three consecutive days. Sunday, the agency reported hospitals in the 19 county region had 2,375 COVID-19 patients.
At the end of October, hospitals in North Texas had 1,529 COVID-19 patients.
Hospitals in the area still had 2,033 available beds, 1,856 available ventilators and 234 open ICU beds, but COVID-19 patients now use a greater share of hospital capacity in North Texas than the rest of the state. COVID-19 patients are using 15.62% of hospital beds in North Texas. Across Texas, hospitals reported 8,634 COVID-19 patients Sunday, using just 13.58% of capacity.
Last month, Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order requiring bars to close and restaurants to limit capacity to 50% in any region where COVID-19 patients use more than 15% of beds for seven consecutive days. If North Texas has remains above 15% capacity for another four days, those restrictions could automatically be ordered.
In September, a different executive order required elective surgeries to stop in those same regions.
Dallas County reported 3,303 cases and six deaths Sunday. Dallas County Health and Human Services did not report cases Thanksgiving or the day after, so Sunday's report included three days of case numbers through Saturday.
Judge Clay Jenkins says the daily average over Thanksgiving was actually lower than it had been. He attributes the drop, however, to fewer people getting tested over the holiday.
"We’ll have more accurate numbers again on Tuesday and Wednesday and begin to see any effects from the Thanksgiving holiday by next Friday and into the weekend with a full realization of any uptick manifesting itself by the following weekend," Jenkins wrote in a statement. "In the meantime, it’s important that we continue to look for things to be thankful for and keep our spirits up. Now is the time for patriotism and sacrifice for the greater good of your community, your state and your country. The smart decisions and unselfish decisions that you make may save lives that you don’t even know or may spare your family and loved ones heartache."
Dallas County says the seven day average of additional cases for the week ending November 14, the most recent stats that are available, was 1,405, the highest rate since the pandemic started.
The same week, Dallas County says 1,282 confirmed and probable cases were reported among kids age 5-17, three times as many from five weeks earlier.
Dallas County does not report recoveries.
Tarrant County reported 1,305 cases and five deaths Sunday. Tarrant County has reported a total of 97,294 cases, 843 deaths and 68,950 recoveries.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 626 cases of COVID-19 in Collin County Sunday and one death. Collin County has reported 22,897 recoveries.
Denton County does not report numbers on Sundays.
Across Texas, 11 of the 22 "Trauma Service Areas" established by the state are reporting COVID-19 patients occupy more than 15% capacity. The highest percentage was in Amarillo, at 37.71%, followed by El Paso at 36.78% and Lubbock at 29.45%.