More-contagious delta variant of coronavirus on the rise in Dallas County, health experts say

Dallas County reported two more COVID-19 deaths and 106 new coronavirus cases Monday as concerns increase that a new variant of the virus could become the dominant strain in North Texas.

The latest victims were a Dallas man in his 80s and a DeSoto woman in her 70s. Both had underlying high-risk health conditions.

County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement Monday that about 56.7% of the county’s residents have had at least one shot. President Joe Biden has set a goal of having 70% of eligible people nationwide to get at least one vaccine dose by July 4.

Jenkins urged residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible for the overall good of the public, and he noted that the drive-through vaccination site in Fair Park will close in mid-July.

“Every day I report deaths and every day around one hundred people are hospitalized in their fight with COVID,” he said. “This now is a nearly preventable occurrence, and we want everyone to take advantage of the free, life-saving vaccines.”

A slowdown in vaccinations has come as one coronavirus variant, called the delta variant, has become an increasing source of concern.

The prevalence of the variant more than doubled in samples from May 28 to June 3, according to the latest data from UT Southwestern Medical Center, which has been sequencing samples to detect known or new variants.

Dr. James Cutrell, an infectious-disease expert at UTSW, said the delta variant, which was first identified in India, is particularly concerning because it is highly transmissible — even more so than the alpha variant that right now is more common in North Texas.

As of Thursday, Dallas County had reported 110 alpha variant cases and six of the delta variant.

“I predict that in the next two to four weeks, the delta variant will become the dominant one that we’re seeing here in North Texas,” Cutrell said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified delta as a variant of concern last week, as it made up 10% of all cases in the United Stats. A month ago, the delta variant made up less than 3% of cases.

In addition to the alpha and delta variants, the United States has four more “variants of concern” — beta, gamma, B.1.427 epsilon and B.1.429 epsilon — according to the CDC. Variants of concern show evidence they are more transmissible, cause more-severe cases or are more resistant to vaccines or antibodies from previous cases of the disease.

The current two-dose vaccines protect against the delta variant, but the protection is lower for people who’ve had only one dose. Cutrell said a single dose would offer about 30% to 50% protection, but both doses would offer 88% to 90% protection against the delta variant.

Although less information is available about the efficacy of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine against some variants of concern, Cutrell said, it is expected to offer some protection from the severity of those variants.

“So the people who are most at risk and most vulnerable from the delta variant are people who haven’t gotten any vaccine at all,” he said.

Dallas County no longer reports new coronavirus data on Sundays and instead reports two-day totals on Mondays.

The average number of new daily cases in the county for the last two weeks is 104. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 100.

Of the latest cases, 96 were confirmed and 10 were probable. The numbers bring the county’s overall case total to 305,506, including 262,274 confirmed and 43,232 probable. The death toll is 4,111.

In the 24-hour period that ended Sunday, 89 COVID-19 patients were in acute care in hospitals in the county.

According to the state, 1,236,219 people in Dallas County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 1,037,831 — 47.6% of the county’s population 12 and older — are fully vaccinated.

The number of vaccinations administered in Dallas County and across Texas have continued a decline that began in April.

Last week, about 408,000 people got vaccinated statewide — the fewest for any week this year, excluding a week in February when a winter storm shut down many vaccine sites. In Dallas County, the number of vaccinations last week was about 40,000, also a low for the year, and the pattern is similar in counties across North Texas.

The Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation has pushed back its projection for when Dallas County will reach herd immunity — 80% of residents vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 — to late July.

Texas

Across the state, 169 more cases were reported Monday, including 165 new cases and four older ones recently reported by labs.

The state also reported one COVID-19 death, raising its toll to 51,031. The state’s reporting of new cases and deaths lags behind that of some individual counties.

Of the new cases, 124 were confirmed and 41 were probable. All four of the older cases were confirmed. The state did not report any older probable cases.

The state’s case total is now 2,975,787, including 2,536,691 confirmed and 439,096 probable.

There are 1,503 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals, including 319 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — both numbers that have stayed roughly stable throughout June.

According to the state, 13,601,084 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 11,492,861 — 47.8% of the state’s population 12 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Tarrant County

Tarrant County reported one COVID-19 death and 56 cases Monday.

Details about the latest victim were not immediately available.

Of the new cases, 53 were confirmed and three were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 262,585, including 219,448 confirmed and 43,137 probable. The death toll is 3,558.

According to the county, 106 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 921,885 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 801,044 — 46.1% of the county’s population 12 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Collin County

The state added 14 cases to Collin County’s totals Monday. No additional deaths were reported.

Of the new cases, 11 were confirmed and three were probable. The numbers bring the county’s case total to 92,564, including 75,735 confirmed and 16,829 probable. The death toll is 841.

According to the county, 39 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 569,937 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 497,177 — 57.5% of the county’s population 12 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Denton County

Denton County reported eight COVID-19 deaths and 62 cases Monday.

The latest victims were two Denton men, in their 70s and 80s; two Flower Mound residents, a man and a woman older than 80; a woman in her 50s from The Colony; a Highland Village man in his 70s; a Lewisville man older than 80; and a Plano man older than 80.

The newly reported cases bring the county’s case total to 76,767, including 56,245 confirmed and 20,522 probable. The death toll is 612.

According to the county, 17 people are hospitalized with the virus.

According to the state, 444,639 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 393,906 — 52.5% of the county’s population 12 and older — are fully vaccinated.

Other counties

The Texas Department of State Health Services has taken over reporting for these other North Texas counties. In some counties, new data may not be reported every day.

The latest numbers are:

• Rockwall County: 11,807 cases (9,442 confirmed and 2,365 probable), 157 deaths.
• Kaufman County: 16,465 cases (13,622 confirmed and 2,843 probable), 264 deaths.
• Ellis County: 23,256 cases (19,184 confirmed and 4,072 probable), 323 deaths.
• Johnson County: 20,093 cases (16,972 confirmed and 3,121 probable), 374 deaths.