The number of patients with COVID-19 in Denton County hospitals has dropped by more than half since the peak in mid-January, according to the county’s COVID-19 dashboard. Hospitals reported treating 107 people with the disease March 1, down from 224 at the highest point.
Although the number was trending downward, hospitalizations were still about as high throughout the county as they were at their previous peak last summer. Nearly 12,000 people in Denton County were known to have an active case of the virus as of March 1.
Director of Public Health Matt Richardson said the declining number of hospitalizations was good news as officials continue to administer thousands of vaccines a day at mass clinics.
Denton County Public Health is administering first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Richardson told county commissioners March 2.
The county is expected to administer nearly 30,000 doses this week, Richardson said.
About 105,000 people on the county’s vaccine waitlist were still waiting for an appointment, Richardson said. The waitlist is open only to health care workers, people age 65 and older, or people age 16 or older with a chronic medical condition.
