Denton County Reports First Case of Ommicron Variant; pediatric hospital admissions on the rise
The omicron variant has now been confirmed in 8 Texas counties, including Tarrant, Collin and Denton counties here in North Texas. The WHO said the ommicron variant is spreading faster than any previous versions of the virus.
The death toll in the US from the coronavirus was 800,000 people on Tuesday.
The news comes when we learn that the latest variant of the virus is spreading faster than any previous version.
New cases of the ommicron variant were confirmed in North Texas.
The World Health Organization says the ommicron variant has been detected in more than 75 countries, but health experts say it’s likely already in most parts of the world.
Denton County announced its first confirmed case on Tuesday.
The omicron variant has now been confirmed in 8 Texas counties, including Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties here in North Texas
The WHO said the ommicron variant is spreading faster than any previous versions of the virus.
LAKE: US COVID-19 death toll above 800K amid increasing delta, ommicron spread
Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja says he expects another global COVID-19 wave fueled by two things: the delta variant that has never gone away and the omicron variant with three times as many mutations as delta.
“When you have that many mutations, it can evade natural immunity,” Taneja said. “People who have become immune through disease and people who have become immune through vaccinations.”
The WHO also warned not to dismiss Omicron as mild, as an increasing number of cases could once again overwhelm hospitals.
Taneja says hospital admissions for adults have largely leveled off, but the number of hospital admissions for children has risen slightly in recent weeks.
It’s a similar story in Denton County with pediatric hospitalizations and new cases both on the rise.
dr. Matt Richardson, director of Denton County Public Health, says that while delta is still the dominant variant in Texas, omicron is gaining traction. It first discovered an ommicron case and announced it on Tuesday.
“This is yet another worrying variant,” he said. “We don’t know how it will mutate and evolve, so it’s time to redouble the effort.”
Both Richardson and Taneja are urging the public to make a booster shot a top priority.
“We’ve fully vaccinated over 1.1 million people in the province, but only about 220,000 or so who have had their booster dose,” Taneja said. “If you really want to end all these variants, everyone should get vaccinated.”
When it comes to vacation travel, Taneja points to high COVID activity in other states, from New Mexico to the Midwest and the entire Northeast. He recommends that if you decide to travel, take extra precautions and be aware of what’s happening in those states.
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