The COVID death rate is rising in Denton County.
County health officials say out of the handful of new COVID related deaths being reported this week, none of the people who died had been vaccinated. They also say nearly all of the deaths are recent, having occurred in the past several weeks.
"Deaths do follow the surges," County Health Director Dr. Matt Richardson said during today's Denton County Commissioners Court meeting.
The case count and hospitalization rate is climbing, too. About a quarter of the county’s hospital beds have been taken up by COVID-19 patients, according to Richardson. He says it’s concerning, but not because there aren’t enough beds, because there aren’t enough doctors and nurses.
"Staffing shortages are so severe in Denton County hospitals," Richardson said, adding that ICU patients require around-the-clock care. "Those staffing shortages mean there are fewer beds available for us to occupy in an emergency."
The county just wrapped up its first week of third dose COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The shots are available only to those who are severely immunocompromised.
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