Updated at 7:35 p.m. March 22

Collin County health authorities on March 22 reported seven new cases of coronavirus, three of whom live in McKinney.

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' order applies only to residents who live in Dallas County. He 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.’"


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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 8:35 p.m. March 21

Public health officials in Collin County reported four new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 31, with seven who have completed their isolation periods. 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.
Updated at 8 p.m. March 20

Collin County reported nine new cases of the novel coronavirus on the evening of March 20, bringing the county’s total number of confirmed cases to 27. Among the new cases, 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 have underlying health conditions.


Here is the breakdown, according to county health officials:
  • 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., who 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;
  • A 49-year-old Richardson woman who traveled out of the country recently, is isolating at home and has an underlying health condition; and
  • A 20-year-old Frisco woman with underlying health conditions who is isolating at home and has no reported travel.
Updated at 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 at 4:45 p.m. March 20

All 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 10:45 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: 6:10 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 district clerk’s office suspended all walk-in services. These suspended services included the office's civil, family, criminal and jury departments.

Updated 1:18 p.m. March 19

During a news conference at the state Capitol on March 19, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced an executive order that will limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people, prohibit eating and drinking at restaurants and bars while still allowing takeout, close gyms, ban people from visiting nursing homes except for critical care and temporarily close schools.

The executive order is effective midnight March 20 through midnight April 3, Abbott said.

The city of McKinney and McKinney ISD had already made similar restrictions at the local level earlier this week.

Abbott said the order reflected federal guidance and was necessary to "strangle" the expansion of the coronavirus at the state level.

Click here to read more from the Texas Tribune.

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 5:45 p.m. March 18

McKinney ISD announced March 18 that it will remain closed until April 3.

This is decision was made as an effort to support the community, region and nation’s need to slow the spread of coronavirus, according to an email from the district.

By March 20, MISD will be communicating to families and students what academic and social-emotional enrichment resources are available during this time. Students will be able to access these resources starting March 23.

Teacher-directed online learning is set to start March 30. The district will be providing information to parents and students about the e-learning process during the week of March 23–27.

District officials will be reassessing the possibility of extending the closure further during the week of March 30-April 3. An update will be made at that time, according to the district.

The district will be posting the most updated information on MISD’s Facebook page and website at www.mckinneyisd.net.

Updated 12:56 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 11:20 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 9:30 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 like 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 8:56 a.m. March 18

County health officials confirmed a ninth case of coronavirus in Collin County on March 18. The ninth case is a 32-year-old Plano woman, who is self-quarantined in her own home and has no underlying health conditions, according to public health officials.

Updated 9:48 p.m. March 17

Starting at midnight March 17, all gatherings of 10 or more people must be canceled, according to the city of McKinney. This limitation will be mandated until further notice.

Updated 1:21 p.m. March 17

Starting March 20, the city of McKinney will be requiring that all bars and restaurants halt dine-in services over the next two weeks.

This comes as part of an update to the city’s state of emergency declaration issued March 16, according to a city news release.

The topic of reopening dine-in services will be re-evaluated March 31, McKinney Mayor George Fuller said in a March 17 Facebook post.

Until then, the city is requiring dining establishments to limit their occupancies to half of what is posted on their certificate of occupancy, he said.

In addition, to encourage social distancing, the city is requiring that all parties be seated at least 6 feet away from each other while dining.

This notice is being given early to allow restaurants time to prepare for takeout services if they plan to do so, Fuller said.

Drive-thru and carry-out services are not impacted by this declaration, according to the city news release.

“This is a very difficult decision, as I realize many small businesses will be financially impacted,” Fuller said in the post. “Though as we all agree, community health and well being must be our overriding guiding principle. It is my hope that the city-mandated closure of in-dining service will allow for restaurants to invoke business interruption insurance coverage, helping to mitigate these economic challenges.”

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.

Original post 11:40 a.m. March 16

A formal disaster declaration for the city of McKinney and Collin County was announced March 16.

The county's declaration is meant to better prepare the county and its communities to respond to public health emergencies due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a county release.

These announcements come shortly after similar announcements made by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. President Donald Trump. The neighboring cities of Allen, Frisco and Plano have made similar public health emergency declarations today, according to a city press release.

"Since the first news of the coronavirus outbreak, Collin County has been working diligently with the State of Texas and our local cities to prepare for this eventuality," Collin County Judge Chris Hill said in the release. "We stand ready to partner with and support our communities in any way necessary. We all have to work together to safeguard the health of our community. This declaration ensures that we are able to access and share strategic resources and supplies as they become available."

The declaration also comes shortly after the county announced its eighth presumptive positive case of coronavirus March 15, one of which was identified in a McKinney man.

“I am convinced that the risks of underreacting are so much greater than the risks of overreacting, and although we hope for the best, we must be prudent and plan for the worst,” McKinney Mayor George Fuller in a city press release. “It is going to take all of us, working together, to ensure that we put the health and safety of our community above all else, and I have no doubt that is what we will do.”

A 32-year-old Frisco man who has tested presumptive positive for the novel coronavirus is the county's eighth case, according to the Collin County health department. The man has not been connected to any other cases. The presumptive positive test result must still be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. County officials report the man has no underlying health issues.

Sixty others are being monitoring for the coronavirus in Collin County, according to health officials.

While the city of McKinney has its own web page dedicated to local coronavirus updates here, the city is encouraging residents to follow the Collin County Health Care Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most current updates and recommendations relating to the virus.