Dallas County health officials confirm Monday two more people have died after contracting the COVID-19 virus and another two dozen have been infected.
County health officials said the additional 24 cases brings the county's total number of infected to 155. The county also confirmed the third and fourth deaths of people who have died after becoming infected.
The two victims, Dallas County officials said, were both men in their 60s who had been hospitalized while critically ill. One of the men had high-risk, chronic health conditions while the other did not.
Both of the men were residents of Dallas.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the two Dallas County residents who lost their lives to COVID-19 since yesterday’s posting. The “Stay Home Stay Safe” order will save lives but it takes all of us. We are working to answer the many questions from business we have received this morning and will get you answers as soon as possible. Most of your questions can be found by carefully reading the order and I encourage people to do that before they contact us,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins in a statement.
Jenkins, on Sunday, issued a shelter-in-place order for the county, effective Monday night at 11:59 p.m., requiring most residents to stay at home and to leave only for "essential activities." The order expires April 3.
The judge's restrictions are the tightest in North Texas in a desperate effort to drastically reduce the number of new coronavirus cases.
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*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.
How to Avoid COVID-19 Infection:
The best way to prevent infection is to take precautions to avoid exposure to this virus, which are similar to the precautions you take to avoid the flu. CDC always recommends these everyday actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
*Information shared from the Office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
