The State Fair Is Returning With Conditions, A World Series “Bubble” Might Happen In Arlington, 46 Cases Of Bleach Ingestion In DFW Reported In August & More.

While coronavirus cases seem to be slightly dwindling on a local level, Dallas County reached a new nadir as it exceeded 70,000 cases on Thursday. Still, as public officials continue to fight the outbreak, a lot of developments are surfacing on DFW’s recreational front.

For more on this, here are some of the latest COVID-19 updates from around North Texas:

  • On Thursday, Dallas County reported 219 additional cases and five new deaths. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Dallas County to 70,100, and the death toll to 895. While recent data has indicated a downward trend, this still indicates over 1,000 cases and 38 deaths since Tuesday. Judge Clay Jenkins says most of the 219 newly-reported cases, however, are from June and July.

    • 4,121 out of 5,960 hospital beds in Dallas are occupied, which brings the total occupancy to approximately 69 percent. 637 out of 946 ICU beds are filled, while 359 out of 995 ventilators are in use.

  • On Tuesday, the Fort Worth City Council voted to extend the city’s mask mandate to Dec. 1. The ordinance was nearly unanimous, with Councilman Cary Moon being the only vote in opposition. In essence, this new law merely reinforces a statewide mask mandate that was already signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on July 2.
  • The State Fair of Texas is sort of coming back. Though the official fair was cancelled back in July, its organizers will open for a pared-down version of the annual tradition. In lieu of its traditional 24-day stretch, a socially distant offering of fair food and photo opportunities will be available on Sept. 25-27, Oct. 2-4, Oct. 9, Oct. 11-12 and Oct. 15-18. A “photo-only drive-thru experience” with Big Tex, who will be sporting a 7-feet-wide face mask, will take place on Sept. 19-20.
  • TCU is among the nation’s top college campus virus hotspots. As of publish, the Fort Worth university has 360 active cases. This number marks quite a jump since we last checked in, more than tripling the case count as of Tuesday. The university, though mostly vague in its handling of the virus, has reportedly asked some sororities to self-quarantine in their chapter houses.
  • The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is loosening up certain COVID-19 restrictions in a move that will make it easier for bars in the state to reopen. While Gov. Abbott’s most recent order only allows bars to reopen on the condition that they make 51 percent or more of their sales off food, a new TABC amendment allows bars to reopen should they decide to sell pre-packaged food and host food trucks. It’s already creating cause for concern with some Dallas bars, though.
  • Major League Baseball and the Players Association are in talks of booking the World Series at Arlington’s new Globe Life Field. According to the Dallas Morning News, the newly-constructed stadium is on an MLB shortlist alongside stadiums in Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Diego, Chicago, New York and San Francisco for a World Series “bubble.” Should Globe Life Field be selected, the MLB will be rendering it a “controlled site,” in accordance with social distancing protocols.
  • 46 cases of bleach ingestion were reported to the North Texas Poison Center in the month of August alone. The report comes after earlier statements from Donald Trump falsely alleging injection of chemicals could treat the virus. NTPC officials are mostly chalking this up to online misinformation claiming that drinking or injecting bleach can prevent the spread of coronavirus. We’re not going to be shitty and make some jab about natural selection, but we will remind you: do not, under any circumstances, drink bleach. If you or anyone in your vicinity ingests bleach, call the Poison Control Center immediately at 1-800-222-1222.
  • Free testing to be offered to construction workers in Oak Cliff. Construction workers and their families will be offered free testing and protective equipment from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, August 29 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church at 231 N. Marsalis Ave.

That concludes our biweekly COVID-19 news roundup. Be sure to wear a mask and practice social distancing at all times.

Maybe the State Fair sucks less when it’s condensed? Let us know.

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