The first case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant was detected in Texas on December 6.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services and County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the variant was found in a northwest Harris County woman in her 40s.
The woman was fully vaccinated and experienced some of the common symptoms of COVID-19 but was not hospitalized. She has not traveled outside of her home area recently, leading health officials to believe someone in her community infected her, according to Harris County public health officials.
On Monday evening, Houston public health officials said the Omicron variant was detected in the city’s wastewater treatment plants in samples taken after thanksgiving. Health officials use these tests to try and get an idea of which variants are circulating since the virus is shed through feces. Since then, the Houston area has reported at least eight cases of the omicron variant.
Houston Methodist Hospital said that these are the first cases of COVID-19 in several months that are not the Delta variant.
On December 8, two cases of the Omicron variant were found in North Texas, involving a 35-year-old and a 40-year-old. The 35-year-old reportedly had exposure to someone who was sick but experienced no symptoms themselves. The 40-year-old allegedly experienced a fever and cough for a couple of days. Both patients had received the Pfizer vaccine.
The first case of the Omicron variant in the U.S. was discovered last Wednesday in California. Since then, more cases have been discovered in other states, including New York. Texas health officials are preparing for a potential holiday surge, whether caused by Delta, Omicron, or any other variant and are pushing for more Texans to get vaccinated.
As of December 1, an estimated 55% of Texans are vaccinated. Texas hospitals are still short-staffed and suffering from two years of deadly surges.
“I think it still remains to be seen if this Omicron is going to overtake the Delta variant, but there is some concern…that it’s possible that might happen,” said Dr. Jason Bowling, an epidemiologist at University Health in San Francisco. “For a while, it’s been all Delta, Delta, Delta…there might be a new kid on the block.”
