A new blog-style page for coronavirus updates in Frisco can be found at this link.
Updated 6:55 p.m. March 22
Public health officials in Denton County reported six new confirmed cases of coronavirus, including one in Frisco.
County officials did not provide any other details on its patients. The new case brings Frisco’s total to 12 confirmed cases between Denton and Collin counties. Seven of those people reside in Collin County, and five reside in Denton County.
Collin County health authorities reported seven new cases of coronavirus, including one person with an underlying health condition.
Here is the breakdown of those cases, according to county health officials:
• A 56-year-old McKinney woman with no reported travel and no underlying medical conditions is isolating at home;
• A 45-year-old Plano man with no reported travel and an underlying health condition is isolating at home;
• A 51-year-old Allen man with no underlying health conditions who had close contact with a confirmed case is isolating at home;
• A 7-year-old Allen girl who recently traveled within the U.S. has no underlying health conditions and is isolating at home;
• A 50-year-old Plano woman with no underlying health conditions is isolating at home after having close contact with someone confirmed to have the virus;
• A 47-year-old McKinney man who recently traveled within the U.S. is isolating at home with no underlying health conditions; and,
• A different 47-year-old McKinney man who recently traveled within the U.S. is isolating at home with no underlying health conditions.
Also on March 22, Dallas County ordered its residents to shelter in their place of residence from 11:59 p.m. March 23 through April 3 in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
"This order is our best chance to flatten the curve here in Dallas County and save as many lives as possible," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said during a news conference. "I know there will be economic hardship and business closures with this order, and it makes me sick that we are at this point."
Flattening the curve refers to minimizing the infection rate of the virus through similar shelter-in-place orders to avoid the inundation of hospitals, Jenkins said.
The order generally bars all public or private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside of one's residence. Exceptions include essential business operations and government work. The order also stresses people to continue to maintain a minimum 6-foot distance from others.
Essential functions include healthcare work; essential critical infrastructure work; and operations that support residences and other businesses. Providing essential retail services and providing aid to lower income communities are also allowed, according to the order.
Jenkins said he is hoping his decision will influence some of the surrounding counties.
"There’s 2.7 million people in Dallas County, but there’s 7.6 million people in the metroplex,” Jenkins said. “This is going to spread across the state, and a month from now, ... nobody is going to be saying ‘Thank god I was able to go to work for one extra two weeks.’"
Click here for the full story.
At the state level, Texas' runoff primary election has been postponed until July 14. The primary was originally scheduled for May 26. Gov. Greg Abbott ordered March 20 that the runoff be moved as part of the state's efforts to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Among the races on the runoff ballot is the one between MJ Hegar and Royce West. who are vying for the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
Updated 8:30 p.m. March 21
Public health officials in Collin County reported four new confirmed cases of coronavirus, including a 61-year-old Frisco man.
Denton County Public Health also announced nine additional coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the county as of March 21. Denton County currently has a total of 24 cases, with eight of those resulting from local transmission, according to officials. County officials did not provide any other details on its patients.
The four new cases in Collin County bring its total to 31, though seven have completed their isolation periods, health officials said. None of the four new cases in Collin County have underlying health conditions. Here is the breakdown of those cases, according to county health officials:
- A 61-year-old Frisco man with no reported travel;
- A 56-year-old Plano woman who traveled within the U.S.;
- A 38-year-old Plano man who traveled outside the U.S.; and,
- A 45-year-old Wylie woman who reported no recent travel.
Frisco City Council unanimously voted to extend the local state of disaster for a public health emergency to contain the spread of coronavirus through April 8.
Council voted to extend the declaration March 20 during a special meeting. Mayor Jeff Cheney initially made the declaration March 16.
“The mayor can declare an emergency order, but it’s only good for seven days,” Cheney said after Friday’s meeting. “Then the council has to vote on it. That’s why we had to schedule our meeting for this evening, so we could continue the emergency order.”
Cheney said the declaration was extended to April 8 because council’s next scheduled meeting is April 7.
“We wanted to extend it at least until our next council meeting so if we needed to vote to extend it again, we could," Cheney said.
Frisco now has 10 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus among its residents. Collin County reported nine new cases of coronavirus on the evening of March 20, and Denton County Public Health confirmed six new cases earlier in the day.
Collin County currently has 27 total confirmed cases of coronavirus, and Denton County has 15. Six of Frisco’s cases are in Collin County, and four are in Denton County.
Denton County did not provide any other details on its patients.
Among the new cases in Collin County, three are from Plano, two are from McKinney and one each from Dallas, Frisco, Richardson and Wylie, according to the county’s website.
Two cases involved people who traveled outside the country, and three involved people who reported traveling within the U.S. The other four cases involved people with no recent travel history.
Five are men, and four are women. Their ages range from 20 to 73. All are either self-quarantined or isolating at home. Only two of the nine new cases in Collin County have underlying health conditions.
Here is the breakdown, according to county health officials:
- A 20-year-old Frisco woman with underlying health conditions who is isolating at home and has no reported travel;
- A 67-year-old Plano man who traveled outside the country, has no underlying health conditions and is isolating at home;
- A 56-year-old Wylie woman who is self-isolating at home, has no underlying health conditions and recently traveled within the U.S.;
- A 51-year-old McKinney man with no underlying health conditions who is currently self-quarantined. His cased is not travel related;
- A second 51-year-old McKinney man who has no reported travel, no underlying health conditions and is isolated at home;
- A 48-year-old Plano man with no reported travel, no underlying health conditions and under self-quarantine at home;
- A 67-year-old Plano woman who recently traveled within the U.S., is isolating at home and has no underlying health conditions;
- A 73-year-old Dallas man who traveled within the U.S., is self-isolating at home and has no underlying health conditions; and
- A 49-year-old Richardson woman who traveled out of the country recently, is isolating at home and has an underlying health condition.
The collection stoppage come after Frisco’s contractor, Waste Connections, announced it would temporarily halt “hand-touch” inorganic collections as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The North Texas Municipal Water District offers three transfer station options and a landfill where Frisco residents can dispose of bulk waste. Those sites are:
- Plano Parkway Transfer Station, 4030 W. Plano Parkway, Plano;
- Custer Road Transfer Station, 9901 Custer Road, Plano;
- Lookout Drive Transfer Station, 1601 East Lookout Drive, Richardson; and
- 121 Regional Disposal Facility, 3820 Sam Rayburn Highway, Melissa.
The city will continue to collect bundled limbs and branches placed at the curb.
Frisco residents can drop bulk waste off twice a month and bagged yard waste twice a month for free at those four facilities with their Frisco water bill and matching driver’s license.
In an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus, Denton County Transportation Authority announced that it has reduced its transportation services temporarily, though the Frisco Demand Service will remain unchanged. Details on the services changes can be found at the agency’s website.
Updated 4:50 p.m. March 20
Qualifying small businesses statewide are now eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration, according to a March 20 announcement by Gov. Greg Abbott. For more information on how to apply, visit www.sba.gov/disaster.
Updated 4:35 p.m. March 20All non-essential court proceedings in Collin County have been postponed until May 8, according to an update posted March 20 on the county’s website.
The postponed proceedings are meant “to protect the community and limit exposure to COVID-19,” according to the order issued by the county’s five Justice of the Peace courts. Similar orders are in place for the district courts as well as the county courts at law.
Proceedings deemed essential by the courts will continue as planned. Specifics are available on the county’s website.
Updated 11:45 a.m. March 20
Out of 18 confirmed coronavirus cases in Collin County, four people have successfully recovered, two are hospitalized, 11 are self-isolating in their homes, and one has died, according to county health officials.
At this time, 79 people are under monitoring in the county.
Updated 11:30 a.m. March 20
Frisco Family Services announced it will hold a community-wide food drive March 21 to help meet the growing need for its services due to the coronavirus.
"While the increased demand for our food pantry and other services was great prior to this pandemic, the demand is now even greater due to the many implications of COVID-19,” Executive Director Nicole Bursey said in a press release. “Families are already coming in for assistance because their work hours have been cut. With the help of our very caring and supportive community, we can and will get through this unprecedented situation."
The food drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Frisco Family Services Food Pantry, located at 9085 Dogwood St., near the corner of Main Street.
According to the organization urgent food pantry needs include:
• pasta and pasta sauce;
• canned or packaged tuna;
• Ramen noodles;
• bags of beans;
• condiments;
• boxed meal helpers;
• canned pasta meals;
• canned beans;
• instant mashed potatoes;
• canned or packaged chicken;
• cooking oil;
• SPAM;
• canned fruit and fruit cups;
• juice boxes;
• cereal;
• boxed dry grains;
• cleaning products;
• shampoo;
• conditioner;
• dishwashing liquid;
• bath wash;
• laundry detergent;
• sanitizing wipes; and
• hand sanitizer.
Frisco Family Services staff will be accepting food and monetary donations on-site during the drive.
Updated 7:05 p.m. March 19
Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney amended his public health emergency declaration on March 19 to align with the governor's executive order issued the same day. The order limits social gatherings involving more than 10 people and closes gyms and massage parlors. The order also bans eating and drinking at bars, restaurants and food courts. Drive-thru, pickup or deliver options are allowed and "highly encouraged," according to a city news release. People are also banned from visiting nursing homes, retirement homes or long-term care facilities unless they are there to provide critical assistance.
"The more that people reduce their public contact, the sooner COVID-19 will be contained," the mayor's declaration stated.
Schools statewide shall also remain closed through April 3, under the governor's order.
All critical infrastructure remains operational in Frisco, and there are no restrictions on domestic travel, according to the city.
Employees are encouraged to work from home when feasible. If they do show up at workplaces, they need to practice good hygiene, according to the city.
Updated at 6:55 p.m. March 19
Five additional Collin County residents have tested positive for the new coronavirus.
The cases bring the total number to 18 confirmed cases in Collin County, the county health department reported March 19.
The new cases spanned from Richardson to Melissa, affecting residents in their 30s, 40s and 50s. In at least three cases, the patient had not recently traveled prior to contracting the virus. One Collin County resident tested positive while traveling out-of-state.
Seventy-four county residents were under monitoring Thursday evening.
As a precaution against further spread of the virus, the Collin County District Clerk’s office suspended all walk-in services. These suspended services included the office's civil, family, criminal and jury departments.
In Denton County, public health officials have confirmed four more coronavirus cases, bringing the local number of cases to nine, according to a March 19 news release.
Two patients have travel-related cases and are under in-home isolation. One is a Frisco resident in his 40s, and the other is a Denton County resident in his 60s.
Two patients, a female in her 50s and another in her 20s, are Lewisville residents. One of the cases is from local transmission whereas the other is travel-related. The patient in her 20s is under in-home isolation, and the other is in a local hospital.
Updated 2:03p.m. March 19
During a news conference at the state Capitol on March 19, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced an executive order that limits social gatherings to no more than 10 people, prohibits eating and drinking at restaurants and bars while still allowing takeout, closes gyms, bans people from visiting nursing homes except for critical care and temporarily closes schools.
The executive order is effective midnight March 20 through midnight April 3, Abbott said.
This comes after Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said March 18 City Council was not planning to ask private businesses to close in the wake of coronavirus.
Abbott said the order reflected federal guidance and was necessary to "strangle" the expansion of the virus at the state level.
Click here to read more from the Texas Tribune.
Updated: 10:58 a.m. March 19
Denton County Judge Andy Eads amended the county’s executive order for disaster declaration for public health emergency March 18 to enact more restrictions effective immediately, including the prohibition of dine-in services for restaurants, as local coronavirus cases continue to emerge.
The order will be in effect until 11 a.m. March 25.
“We are taking these mandatory aggressive measures now with the first case demonstrating community spread in Denton County,” Denton County Judge Andy Eads stated in a news release.
The new executive order:
- Restricts all community gatherings across Denton County to 50 people or fewer.
- Orders the closing of all bars, lounges, taverns, nightclubs, gyms and health clubs, theaters and entertainment or amusement venues. Restaurants, for now, may remain open for drive-thru, delivery, pickup and curbside service only. Dine-in service is prohibited.
- Encourages landlords to not proceed with evictions.
- Prohibits nonessential visitors from accessing nursing homes, retirement, short- and long-term unless the visit is to provide critical assistance or for end-of-life visitation.
- Orders anyone who lives with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus to isolate at home for 14 days. Members of the household cannot go to work, school or any other community function.
- Removes restrictions on delivery times to or from any entity involved in the selling or distribution of food products, medicine or medical supplies in Denton County for the next 60 days.
“We do not take these decisions lightly," Eads said. "However, we must act early, act decisively and act aggressively to flatten the curve in the community spread of this disease. These actions are meant to spare lives.”
Residents should contact county offices before visiting in person to schedule a visit or use services available through the county’s website, the release stated.
“I know that these restrictions will impact many of our residents and businesses,” Eads stated. “We want them to know that these measures are not being undertaken lightly and are being enacted solely with the health and well-being of all our residents in mind.”
Updated: 6:30 p.m. March 18
Collin County health officials have now identified 13 cases of coronavirus in the county.
In addition to the 10 other cases previously reported, a 38-year-old man from Plano, 54-year-old man from Anna and a 39-year-old man from McKinney have tested positive. None of these individuals have underlying medical conditions, and all are self-isolating at their homes.
According to the county, these additional cases are unrelated to each other.
Updated: 5:13 p.m. March 18
Frisco ISD has extended the suspension of its in-person classes through April 3, according to a letter to parents and guardians from Superintendent Mike Waldrip. The district began delivering online instruction to its more than 63,000 students March 17.
"Please know that students are always at the heart of our decisions, and we are managing this situation with them and our entire community in mind," Waldrip said in the letter. "The purpose for extending the closure is to help eliminate the spread of COVID-19. We hope you will take this time to care for yourself, your family and those around you and continue to adhere to the preventative measures as recommended by public health officials, such as limiting interaction and practicing social distancing."
Waldrip also said the community "should not visit school playgrounds during this time" and must discourage play dates and sleepovers for students.
Frisco ISD teachers will continue providing alternative online instruction during the suspension of in-person classes.
Updated: 1:38 p.m. March 18
A Lewisville man in his 40s who is in critical condition is among three new people with confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Denton County, according to a March 18 news release.
The Lewisville resident is in isolation in a Denton County hospital after a local transmission, according to the release.
Two Frisco residents—a woman in her 50s and a man in his 20s—are both in home isolation after travel-related exposure.
Denton County Public Health is working to identify and contact individuals who may have been exposed by the patients.
“Now that we have evidence of local transmission, it’s even more important to follow social distancing and hygiene recommendations,” Dr. Matt Richardson, the director of Denton County Public Health, said in a statement.
Updated: 1:00 p.m. March 18
Collin County health authorities have been notified that a 64-year-old Plano man diagnosed with coronavirus died March 17 in a local hospital. The patient had an underlying health condition, according to the county.
The case was not confirmed until after the man's death. His case was not among the nine coronavirus cases previously reported by the county.
County officials have not been able to confirm the cause of the man's death. Due to the nature of how his case was reported, it is unclear whether he came in contact with the virus locally or through travel, according to the county.
Updated: 12:30 p.m. March 18
Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said March 18 City Council is not planning to ask private businesses to close in the wake of coronavirus but acknowledged that could change in the hours and days ahead.
Cheney said council was “united and unanimous” in its decision to allow the private sector to make those decisions on its own. He said council and city staff are taking a “very measured approach” and trying to make “reality-based decisions.”
“People that live in Frisco—all 200,000 people—are not going to lock themselves in their home,” Cheney said. “And we're not telling them to do so.”
Neighboring Plano has ordered restaurants to shut down their dine-in services no later than 5 p.m. March 18, while McKinney is requiring all bars and restaurants within its borders to halt dine-in services for two weeks beginning March 20.
Frisco currently has a special meeting of council scheduled for 6 p.m. March 20 in the McCallum Room on the fourth floor of the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center. The agenda for that meeting shows council will consider a continuation or renewal of the declaration of local disaster for public health emergency issued March 16. Council will also discuss coronavirus preparedness.
Cheney said the city is advising residents who might be vulnerable to coronavirus to stay home as directed by health officials. He said the city is also working to put together a best practices list for restaurants and local businesses that do remain open.
Updated: 11:33 a.m. March 18
Elections are encouraged to be suspended until Nov. 3 in Texas according to a proclamation by Gov. Greg Abbott March 18.
"Right now, the state's focus is responding to COVID-19 — including social distancing and avoiding large gatherings. By delaying this election, our local election officials can assist in that effort,” Abbott said.
The governor has suspended multiple Texas codes, allowing for political subdivisions to delay their elections.
An election advisory with guidance for postponing elections has also been released by Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs.
Updated: 9:58 a.m. March 18
Collin College approved temporary authority for its president to implement measures as needed for the health, safety and well-being of its college students and employees at an emergency meeting March 17.
This authority will allow for actions such as continuing pay for staff and student workers during leave and other actions not included in the college’s emergency plan, District President Neil Matkin said.
“This is really a circumstance of ... 'What if something hits that isn’t covered by our policy?'” Matkin said.
The action was passed unanimously by Collin College board members.
Updated: 9:25 a.m. March 18
A 32-year-old Plano woman is the ninth confirmed positive case of COVID-19 in Collin County, according to public health officials. She is self-quarantined in her home and has no underlying health conditions.
Updated: 4:20 p.m. March 17
At the recommendation of state and local health officials, the Frisco Municipal Court has canceled required court appearances, trials and hearings through March 27. Court officials will reassess scheduling after March 27 as continued recommendations are made by health officials. The court will send notices for rescheduled cases at a date to be determined, according to a Frisco press release.
Updated: 3:25 p.m. March 17
During the March 16 Frisco virtual town hall, Police Chief David Shilson said the department has reallocated school resource officers to add patrols in the city.
Updated: 2 p.m. March 17
Frisco ISD counselors are offering virtual office hours for students in need of counseling resources. Campuses sent out an email to parents March 17 with a link to request an appointment with that campus' counselor.
The district also posted a "Frequently Asked Questions about eLearning" page on its website.
Online instruction began March 17 so that Frisco ISD's 63,000-plus students may do classwork remotely. The page addresses how much work students will be expected to complete, where lessons can be found and what to do if a student does not have a computer or internet connection, among other topics.
Updated: 12:15 p.m. March 17
Collin County is canceling all county board and commission meetings through March 31, according to a March 14 statement.
Boards and commissions have also been instructed to use digital communication for any critical issues during that time, the statement said.
Commissioners Court will continue to meet during this time.
Updated 10:11 a.m. March 17
Eight positive cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Collin County at this time. In addition, 77 people are under monitoring in Collin County for the virus, according to the county's website.
