Dallas County Hit With 5 Additional Community-Spread Coronavirus Cases

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has warned throughout the ongoing coronavirus crisis that testing was behind the reality on the ground. He’s starting to look prophetic.

Tuesday morning, Dallas County reported nine additional positive tests for the novel coronavirus, bringing the county’s total number of positive test to 28. Five of the nine people to test positive are in the hospital. Three of those patients are in critical care units.

Eight of the new cases are Dallas residents. One lives in Irving. One case stems from travel. Three of the people who tested positive have been in contact with others who previously tested positive for the coronavirus.

Five of the case are suspected to have resulted from community spread, meaning those who contracted the virus had no travel history and no contact with people who’d already tested positive.

“It is imperative that you exercise sound decision-making in your personal responsibility decisions,” Jenkins said. “We must replace selfishness with sacrifice if we are to protect our seniors and most vulnerable amongst us. Don’t give in to fear, rather have faith in the science, the science that will be your road map to keeping you and your family safe.”

All bars, gyms and health clubs in Dallas County are now closed, following an order issued by Jenkins on Monday. Restaurants in the county can prepare food only to be served at drive-thrus, for takeout or delivery. Fort Worth has stopped short of closing businesses and has instead ordered that no more than 125 people be in any business at a given time.

Tarrant County has reported one case of community transmission.