Dallas County recorded 659 new COVID-19 infections Wednesday, the highest since March 4, while the number of hospital admissions due to the virus seems to have climbed, the county health officials said.
In a statement farmed out by the Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS), people aged 65 and below accounted for the huge chunk of the hospital admissions in the county. Having said that, Dallas health officials reiterated their appeal for the local folks to get vaccinated soon, adding that the pandemic scare may take longer than many thought it would.
In a separate statement echoing the position of the DCHHS, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins cited a forecast made by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center which hinted at a sharp surge in hospitalizations over the next several weeks as more people have yet been administered with the COVID-19 vaccines.
Jenkins added that the slow vaccine rollout may have also something to do with the rise of the fresh coronavirus infections, as well as refusal to use protective masks and failure to maintain physical distancing — plus the emergence of the mutated coronavirus strain aptly referred to as the Delta variant, which experts claim as 60 percent more contagious that its previous forms.
“If you are still unvaccinated, you are at risk of contracting COVID and possibly severe illness. Please consider getting vaccinated as soon as you can. This pandemic is far from over,” said Jenkins.
Of the 659 additional positive cases, 546 are confirmed cases while the remaining 113 are classified as probable cases, authorities said. Also on Wednesday, five were reported to have died due to the virus. To date, COVID-19 death toll in Dallas County stands at 4,171.
Relatedly, the DCHHS said that over 497,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine shots were administered at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic since it commenced operation on January 11 this year.
“The Delta variant is at least twice as contagious as the original strain of COVID and we’re seeing the effects of that as the cases and hospitalizations continue to increase. The vast majority of new cases and hospitalizations are in unvaccinated individuals.
Please go to www.vaccines.gov today to find a location near your ZIP code offering the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Your choice to get vaccinated can protect you, your loved ones, and your community,” Jenkins concluded.
