Unvaccinated Texas man becomes first to succumb to Omicron in US: Report

According to the health authority, the victim, between the ages of 50 and 60, was unvaccinated, putting him at a higher risk of COVID-19 severe consequences.

Team Newsable

Texas City, First Published Dec 21, 2021, 10:08 AM IST | Last Updated Dec 21, 2021, 10:08 AM IST

In Texas, the Harris County health agency reported the first fatality due to the Omicron COVID-19 strain on Monday, an unvaccinated man. According to ABC News, this is the first known recorded Omicron fatality in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the matter. According to the health authority, the victim, between the ages of 50 and 60, was unvaccinated, putting him at a higher risk of COVID-19 severe consequences. According to county judge Lina Hidalgo, the guy was the first local mortality from the variation.

According to health officials, the rapidly spreading Omicron form is now the prevalent strain of Covid-19 in the United States, as the WHO urged for increased measures to guarantee the epidemic ends next year. The new type has aided record case spikes, causing several governments to reintroduce draconian restrictions. However, in the United States, President Joe Biden does not intend to "shut down the country," according to press secretary Jen Psaki earlier in the day.

Also Read | Amid Omicron scare, WHO says new variant causing infections in vaccinated people

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Omicron currently accounts for 73.2 percent of new cases in the United States in the week ending Saturday. It already accounts for more than 90% of new infections in several parts of the country, including the Pacific Northwest, South, and sections of the Midwest. The White House announced that a mid-level, properly vaccinated and boosted staff member tested positive for Covid-19 three days previously after spending 30 minutes close to the president. So far, Biden has tested negative.

Earlier in December, the United Kingdom announced the first publicly verified fatality from Omicron. Twelve individuals in the UK have died as a result of the variation, and 104 are now in hospital, according to Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab on Times Radio on Monday.

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