Updated 4:20 p.m. March 29
Denton County Public Health announced 17 more residents were diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the county total to 165.
Updated 4:05 p.m. March 28
Denton County Public Health announced that another Denton County resident has died due to COVID-19, bringing the number of deaths in the county related to the novel coronavirus to two.
The resident was a male in his 60s who lived in Aubrey, according to officials.
“We are saddened to report a second COVID-19 death within our county,” Denton County Judge Andy Eads said in a statement. “To his family, we continue to send our thoughts and prayers to you as you navigate through this difficult time.”
An additional 11 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed, bringing the countywide total to 148. Among that total, nine live in Flower Mound, one lives in Highland Village, and 13 live in Lewisville.
Twenty-eight of the Denton County residents who were diagnosed with COVID-19 have since recovered, according to officials.
Updated at 5:15 p.m. March 27
Denton County Public Health officials announced an additional 54 cases of novel coronavirus in the county.
The total number of confirmed cases for the county is currently 137, including one death and 23 recovered. There are a total of 47 confirmed cases in the city of Denton, 11 in Lewisville, seven in Flower Mound, two in Roanoke and one in Highland Village.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced additional steps Friday to protect staff and residents at the Denton State Supported Living Center after multiple confirmed cases at the facility.
Additional testing of individuals who may have been exposed is expected, according to officials.
“There is no higher priority than protecting the health and safety of residents, staff and the local community in Denton and everywhere we have state supported living centers,” Health and Human Services Associate Commissioner for State Supported Living Centers Scott Schalchlin said. “We are working side-by-side with local and state health departments and area hospitals to ensure all medical needs are met while preserving hospital capacity in the community and region.”
Updated 12:20 p.m. March 27
Denton County Commissioners Court voted on a revised disaster declaration due to the COVID-19 outbreak at an emergency meeting March 27.
The renewed declaration will last through March 31. Commissioners have another meeting scheduled that day to consider whether to extend the declaration further.
Updated 3:20 p.m. March 26
Denton County Judge Andy Eads announced March 26 that a Lewisville man in his 40s has died from complications due to the coronavirus, marking the first death in the county resulting from the pandemic.
Eads urged residents to stay at home to help stop the spread of the virus.
“I am heart-sickened by the news I have to share with you today,” Eads said. “As your county judge I cannot stress enough the gravity of the situation we face in Denton County. The situation we face will get worse before it gets better. How much worse depends solely on the actions we take going forward. Your carelessness or cavalier attitude can and will result in someone else’s death. Stay home. Wash your hands.”
There are a total of 83 cases in the county as of March 26, Eads said.
The county’s stay-at-home order went into effect March 25. It requires residents to stay at home except to perform specific essential activities and work to provide essential business and government services or to perform essential public infrastructure construction, including housing.
Updated 5:10 p.m. March 25
Denton County Public Health announced March 25 that 19 new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed, bringing the number of local cases to 70.
Five Flower Mound residents have been diagnosed with the virus as well as five Lewisville residents and one Highland Village resident, according to officials.
Updated 5:30 p.m. March 24
Denton County Public Health announced March 24 that 15 additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed locally, bringing the total to 51 cases in Denton County.
Of the 51 people who have been diagnosed with the virus, five live in Lewisville, three live in Flower Mound and one lives in Highland Village, according to officials.
Updated 12:45 p.m. March 24
Denton County residents are ordered to stay at home as of 11:59 p.m. March 25 in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The order will be in effect for seven days unless it is extended by the Denton County Commissioners Court. Under the order, residents are mandated to stay at home except to perform specific essential activities and work to provide essential business and government services or to perform essential public infrastructure construction, including housing.
Denton County Judge Andy Eads said it is incumbent on residents to stay at home to help save lives.
“We cannot ask our businesses to bear the brunt of these actions and not do our own part,” Eads said at a March 24 press conference. “All social events must stop. Period. That alone will have the greatest impact on our community.”
Eads said residents staying home is essential to ensuring that local hospitals do not become overwhelmed as additional cases of coronavirus emerge.
"Staying home and practicing social distancing when handling essential business could very well save your life or the life of a friend who is susceptible to a severe case of COVID-19," Eads said. "I am imploring and begging Denton County residents to practice social distancing even when grocery shopping and running essential errands."
Eads said the county is going to do everything it can to ensure that residents are aware of the stay-at-home order, which is enforceable by law.
"This is a life and death matter, and we are going to treat it as such," Eads said.
To read the full order, click here.
Published 6:50 p.m. March 23
Denton County Public Health announced March 23 that six more residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the county’s total number of confirmed cases to 36.
Three Lewisville residents and one Flower Mound resident have been diagnosed with the virus, according to officials. Though officials previously reported that five Lewisville residents had been diagnosed, the number has gone down to three after officials conducted additional address verification.
Denton County is under a disaster declaration for a public health emergency until March 30 unless it is extended or renewed by the Denton County Commissioners Court.
The county’s declaration was amended March 23 by Denton County Judge Andy Eads to include additional restrictions.
The order:
- restricts all community gatherings across Denton County to 10 people or fewer;
- orders that the public or patrons cannot occupy bars, lounges, taverns, commercial amusement establishments, bingo halls, theaters, gyms, private clubs, hair and nail salons and barber shops, estheticians and related personal care businesses, spas, massage parlors, tattoo and piercing parlors, tanning salons, residential meeting spaces, event centers, hotel meeting spaces and ballrooms, outdoor plazas and markets, malls and retail stores that do not sell essential household goods;
- allows the following entities to continue doing business as long as they enforce social separation: grocery stores, stores selling essential household goods, convenience and package stores, pharmacies and drug stores, daycare facilities, medical facilities, non-profit service providers, homeless and emergency shelters, office buildings, essential government buildings, airports and transit facilities, transportation systems, residential buildings and hotels, and manufacturing and distribution facilities;
- restricts worship services for in-person services, provided that staff can work on site to produce audio/video services for transmission to the public; and
- orders anyone who shares a household with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus to isolate at home for 14 days.
Lewisville ISD has extended its spring break until April 3. The district also began offering optional online learning and free grab-and-go meals March 23.
Local coronavirus updates from before March 22 can be found here.
