Health & Fitness
First Known Omicron-Related Death In US Reported In Harris County
County Judge Lina Hidalgo tweeted Monday evening that a man from east Harris County died from the omicron variant.
HARRIS COUNTY, TX — Barely two weeks after Texas' first known case of the omicron variant showed up in Harris County, the county reported the first known COVID-19 death in the country related to the new variant.
County Judge Lina Hidalgo reported an east Harris County man in his 50s died from the variant in a tweet Monday evening. The man was not vaccinated.
The county first reported an omicron variant case on Dec. 7, which occurred in a woman in her 40s from northwest Harris County. Since then, COVID-19 cases and positivity rate have rapidly risen in the county, resulting in Hidalgo raising the county's COVID-19 threat level to Level 2: Orange on Monday.
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County officials urge residents to receive a COVID-19 booster shot if they haven't already and to plan for any potential holiday travel by avoiding medium or large crowds and getting tested.
Sad to report the first local fatality from the Omicron variant of COVID-19. A man in his 50’s from the eastern portion of Harris County who was not vaccinated. Please - get vaccinated and boosted.
— Lina Hidalgo (@LinaHidalgoTX) December 20, 2021
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