Unvaccinated Texas man becomes the first in the United States to succumb to Omicron: report

On Monday, the Harris County health department reported the first fatality caused by the Omicron COVID-19 strain, an unvaccinated man. This is the first known recorded Omicron fatality in the United States, according to ABC News. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter. The victim, who was between the ages of 50 and 60, was unvaccinated, putting him at a higher risk of COVID-19 severe consequences, according to the health authority. According to county judge Lina Hidalgo, the man was the first local death as a result of the variation.

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

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

Earlier this month, the United Kingdom announced the first publicly verified Omicron fatality. According to Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab on Times Radio on Monday, twelve people in the UK have died as a result of the change, and 104 are now in hospital.