David N. Hager reports receiving grants from NIH, outside the submitted work. Harris County's new COVID threat levels will focus on new cases, not hospitalizations, As Texas kids return to school, routine vaccination rates still haven't recovered from the pandemic, Inside a Houston brain bank, researchers explore drug addiction, Texas Childrens ER visits spike for kids in mental health crisis, Houston event to address lack of diversity in clinical trials, MD Anderson to use AI to develop cancer drugs. I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that an effective response is beyond the capability of the local jurisdiction to control, Cortez wrote to Abbott. The sharp increase in positive cases has been at a level most communities had not yet seen in the pandemic, including in the Houston area, where they went from several hundred two weeks ago, to more than 5,000 average daily cases, according to Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, president and CEO of Harris Health System. When I think about things that keep me up at night, it's the next wave of the delta variant. Local health leaders are offering insight into the new variant. DALLAS - Testing sites in North Texas are becoming overwhelmed ahead of a predicted surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations due to the omicron variant. Knowing that omicron is on our horizon and probably already here circulating in Texas, we are trying to increase those efforts in the very short term so that we have improved surveillance all across the state, she said. According to Bowling says it remains to be seen whether or not Omicron will overtake Delta in the U.S. This conversion might result in character translation or format errors in the HTML version. Breakthrough cases are expected, but booster shots from either vaccine appear to offer substantially better protection. In order to track the variant in Texas, Dr. Shuford said DSHS has established genetic sequencing partnerships with the University of Texas School of Public Health, as well as other academic medical centers and commercial labs across Texas. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday warned that the nation could see a major surge in both delta and omicron as early as next month. and/or the original MMWR paper copy for printable versions of official text, figures, and tables. I mean, what could be worse than the fact that we've had 20,000 unvaccinated Texans since June 1 needlessly lose their lives out of vaccine defiance and refusal? Hotez said. Scientists are still trying to find out if the vaccines provide protection against Omicron, but it will likely provide some, Bowling says. However, the COVID expert placed it as his second biggest concern, behind the continuing delta wave in Texas. Several other states in the U.S. had already confirmed omicron cases as well. The original omicron variant, called BA.1, now represents only about 3% of cases in the United States, according to Centers for Disease Control data. Scientists point to whats happening in South Africa, where omicron was first detected. World rushes to learn more as new omicron cases pop The numbers bring the countys case total to 114,557. Waning of monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19associated hospitalization among adults is recognized; however, little is known about the durability of protection provided by these vaccines against COVID-19associated invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and in-hospital death during the Omicron variant period. The county judge said 80 miles per hour winds during the storm caused severe damage to many buildings and homes, as well as causing the majority of the county to lose power for several days. "We have seen an increase just as we do when we see an increase when the community cases rise," Hall said. Jacob notes that one in three residents in the city are not yet fully vaccinated. Protection against these critical outcomes appeared to correlate more closely with time since last dose than with total number of doses received. I dont doubt it at all, said Dr. Rodrigo Hasbun, professor of infectious diseases with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Additional reporting by Houston Public Medias Matt Harab. "We're going to have 80 degrees on Christmas, Taneja said. Monovalent mRNA vaccination also provided substantial protection against COVID-19associated IMV and death among adults aged 65 years, the age group that remains at highest risk of severe COVID-19 (1). CDC is not responsible for the content part 56; 42 U.S.C. Many critical questions about omicron remain unanswered, including whether the virus causes milder or more severe illness and how quickly it will spread. Second, although case-patients had evidence of acute respiratory illness and received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result, inclusion of case-patients who died or required IMV for reasons other than COVID-19 could have reduced VE because of misclassification. Delta said its cancellations were attributed to potential inclement weather in some places and the impact of omicron. A Fort Worth man and his family say they are terrified and angry after the FBI originally posted his photo and identified him as the suspected shooter that killed five people near Houston Friday night. Houston sees early signs of new omicron-fueled COVID wave as Texas Medical Center cases triple. We take your privacy seriously. scrapped more than 400 U.S. flights Friday, Colin Allred to challenge Ted Cruz for Senate, sources say, Gov. Saving Lives, Protecting People, https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/ivy.htm, https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0328-covid-19-boosters.html, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/interim-considerations-us.html?ACSTrackingID=USCDC_2120-DM104004&ACSTrackingLabel=Updated%20Guidance%3A%20Interim%20Clinical%20Considerations%20for%20Use%20of%20COVID-19%20Vaccines&deliveryName=USCDC_2120-DM104004, https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccines, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#demographics, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100297, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.04.069, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1139990/vaccine-surveillance-report-2023-week-9.pdf, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The new COVID variant is present in Houston, as evidenced by the cases uncovered by one of the hospitals in the Texas Medical Center. COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report: week 9. The omicron variant of COVID-19 has been detected in North Texas, Collin County Health Care Services and Tarrant County Public Health confirms. According to the state, 1,269,619 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 1,116,832 57.5% of the countys population 5 and older are fully vaccinated. The individual is a Lamoille County resident in their 30s. However, South Africa has a very different population than we have. Both are at home recovering. If they're not, you make the decision, do you want the person invited to your house.? Bowling, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor of medicine at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio and University Health, says there are a lot of questions they still need answers to as the variant goes through its robust genetic sequencing program. EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez issued disaster declaration on Monday following a weekend of dangerous storms that swept across most of the Upper Valley. What happened to the Taste NY bathrooms on the Taconic? Among the greatest concerns is omicrons ability to evade immunity from prior COVID-19 infections and vaccinations. Positive cases are again on the rise in the state's prisons, according to Karen Hall, the deputy chief of staff for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Throughout the pandemic, Houstons wastewater treatment plants have been a reliable indicator of future local spread, usually preceding new infections by about two weeks. You can review and change the way we collect information below. BMJ 2022;379:e072141. Since then, it has already become the dominant strain in South Africa. He began his career in broadcast journalism as a reporter for St. Louis Public Radio in 2011. Monovalent mRNA vaccination was 76% effective in preventing COVID-19associated IMV and death <6 months after the last dose and remained 56% effective at 12 years. "I'm encouraged by the South Africa data. The variant now makes up roughly 32 percent of cases in the hospital system, up from 13 percent on Saturday. The higher rate of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the Amarillo area is attributed to lower vaccination rates, a lingering delta surge and resistance to social distancing measures, according to Dr. Rodney Young, the regional chair of family and community medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo. The state reported 89 COVID-19 deaths, raising its toll to 74,062. The state reported 12,476 more cases Thursday, including 10,610 confirmed cases and 1,866 probable cases. Some were sick, some had been exposed to somebody who had the coronavirus. While it would be disappointing to test positive for the virus the day before Christmas, Rodriguez was optimistic. According to the state, 745,733 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 656,714 68.2% of the countys population 5 and older are fully vaccinated. In an impassioned plea, Whitley, a Republican, put it bluntly. Scientists around the globe are rushing to gather more information about the new variant. Let some air circulation going.". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Come on folks! said Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley. Interim recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the use of bivalent booster doses of COVID-19 vaccinesUnited States, October 2022. ABC Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton spoke with CDC Director Rochelle Walensky about the new variant and what doctors are hoping to discover. All three had a Delta variant infection followed by [Omicron] BA.1 infection with intervals of 45, 68, and 83 days, " the authors wrote. The fundamental message is, just as weve done before when the situation on the ground changes, its time for us to change our behavior, said Dr. Marc Boom, president and CEO of Houston Methodist. But the data is mixed. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against IMV and in-hospital death was 62% among adults aged 18 years and 69% among those aged 65 years. The states case total is now 4,457,359, including 3,695,086 confirmed and 762,273 probable. Control patients were defined as those who received negative SARS-CoV-2 and influenza test results by RT-PCR within 10 days of illness onset and within 3 days of hospital admission. For the previous 14-day period, the average was 340. If it does, he says the 25 percent of unvaccinated individuals in the city "will drive" another pandemic for Bexar County. Copyright 2023 KTRK-TV. UTSWs COVID-19 prediction models are also showing cases will continue to increase in North Texas with 800 infections expected daily in Dallas County and more than 500 daily infections in Tarrant County by mid-January. Dr. Annamaria Macaluso Davidson, associate vice president of medical operations for Memorial Hermann Medical Group, is hopeful that pockets of highly vaccinated areas in the city and new COVID treatments arriving on the market will stave off a dire situation at hospitals. Ayass said the lab will submit the test results to the state health department. A Harris County woman contracted the first known case of the omicron COVID variant in Texas, a predictable sign the new strain has been spreading for days The video featured above is from a previous report. That's more youth cases than the agency registered over the past nine months and the largest single-day positive rate since the summer of 2020. "But I think this is kind of being brought up again, so instead of turning off the TV or stopping reading something, we shouldn't avoid it. The daily average of positive cases in the Texas Medical Center more than tripled last week, from 232 to 721, and Houston Methodist on Tuesday recorded nearly five times the number of positive cases in its system compared to the previous week. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:45965. The Frisco lab also said that preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with omicron as compared to other variants. COVID-19 vaccination history was ascertained from state or jurisdictional registries, EMRs, vaccination cards, and self-report. The agency also recorded 23 positive cases among staff that weekend, including 10 at the McLennan County campus where all but one of the youth cases originated. Vaccination rates for about one-third of the state's correctional facilities are above 70% for both prisoners and staff. By signing up you agree to ourTerms of ServiceandPrivacy Policy. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Then just making sure that you're as protected as you can be.". A San Antonio native, he is a die-hard Spurs fan and avid runner. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:143641. If you have not been vaccinated or not received your booster if youre eligible, please do so immediately, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a written statement. CDC recommends that all adults remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccination, including the updated bivalent vaccine, to prevent critical outcomes of COVID-19. Rodriguez, Beltron and Thomas each said finding a place to get tested was simple and easy. Both patients had received the first two doses of the Pfizer vaccine but had not gotten a booster. According to the state, 19,173,107 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 16,362,431 60.7% of the states population 5 and older are fully vaccinated. Here's what the data says. The numbers bring the countys case total to 137,458, including 110,979 confirmed and 26,479 probable. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Traces of omicron are also being detected at a growing number of citys wastewater treatment plants. The latest developments highlight the urgent need for vaccinations and booster shots ahead of the Christmas holiday. In stratified analyses, VE appeared to correlate more closely with time since last dose than with total number of doses received. Logistic regression models were adjusted for date of hospital admission (biweekly intervals), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services region (10 regions), categorical age (1849, 5064, and 65 years), sex, and race and ethnicity (Black or African American, non-Hispanic; White, non-Hispanic; Hispanic or Latino, any race; Other race, non-Hispanic; and Other, unknown) unless otherwise noted. WebJan. Jay S. Steingrub reports a grant from NHLBI, outside the submitted work. It is now the dominant variant in the state and the Dallas-Fort Worth area as well, according to the scientists at UT Southwestern. Logistic regression models were adjusted for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services region, calendar time in biweekly intervals, age, sex, and self-reported race and Hispanic ethnicity. Omicron is also making inroads in the United States. Of the new cases in the county, 686 were confirmed and 188 were probable. Identifying where cases are found and tracking how fast the variant spreads will help inform the best medical response and public health policies. The most recent COVID-19variant is a reminder that the pandemic isn't going away and we must learn to live with it, San Antonio leaders and doctors are expressing. The variant was first detected in South Africa in late November. North Texas omicron surge drives up testing demand, increases hospital cases. References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are Abbott criticized for dehumanizing victims of mass shooting by calling them illegal, Texas college baseball player shot during game, Man fatally shot by Dallas police wounded 2 relatives before shooting cop, dog, chief says, Developer proposes new apartments near Dallas Fair Park, Landmark Texas home becomes most expensive on the market with $60M price tag, Luxury North Dallas rental community sells to national investor, Forest Hill widow facing eviction for I-20 widening gets deadline extension, Texas latest mass shooting is about guns, not immigration, Cowboys 2023 undrafted free agent tracker: See which players Dallas added after NFL draft, Hot List: 15 great bars and restaurants to visit in Dallas-Fort Worth in May 2023. It has now been detected in all but 17 states and accounts for 2.9 percent of the countrys cases, a jump from 0.4 percent last week. Abhijit Duggal reports grants from NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and consulting fees from Alung Technologies, outside the submitted work. On April 18, 2023, bivalent mRNA vaccines became the only mRNA COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States. Only 42% of adults aged 65 years have received a bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose and are up to date with COVID-19 vaccination (1). Ferdinands JM, Rao S, Dixon BE, et al. This week in Dallas County, people lined up for tests had long waits. The Harris County woman is in her 40s and had no recent travel history, County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Monday on social media. RELATED: North Texans waiting hours for COVID-19 tests as cases increase. Matthew C. Exline reports grants from NIH and Regeneron, honoria for speaking at the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition conference from Abbott Labs, and payment for testimony as a medical legal expert witness, outside the submitted work. Harris County Public Health on Tuesday reported 483 new cases, the highest single-day total in more than two months. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer, Abbott calls Texas shooting victims illegal immigrants', Shooting survivors: San Jacinto family only sought small favor, FBI briefly releases photo of wrong Francisco Oropeza, Sunday vigil, expanded manhunt and more on Cleveland shooting, Texas shooting: Suspected shooter possibly spotted, sheriff says, Houston nurses sentenced to federal prison over Medicare scheme, 5 found shot 'execution style' in home in San Jacinto County, Some Galveston County residents 'fed up' with property appraisals, Astros insider: What we know about Jos Urquidy's injury so far, Houston hospitals see uptick in demand for booster shots as omicron spreads in Texas, Houston, Texas Children's aim to vaccinate 5,000 people at convention center, Houston's COVID wastewater levels drop to lowest mark in 6 months, putting BA.5 wave in rear view, COVID Q&A: Peter Hotez discusses new winter variants, his book and a halal vaccine. Other reasons for exclusion: 1) illness onset after hospital admission, 2) enrollment >7 days after hospital admission, 3) receipt of a SARS-CoV-2positive test result >3 days after hospital admission, 4) case-patient with co-infection with influenza or respiratory syncytial virus, 5) control patient with receipt of a positive influenza test result, and 6) participant withdrawal. These findings are consistent with evidence from the United Kingdom showing that among adults aged 65 years, VE of monovalent COVID-19 vaccination against COVID-19associated mortality during the Omicron variant period was 49.7% for 2 doses and 56.9% for 3 doses after 40 weeks (280 days) from vaccination (9). Scientists are learning more about the variant everyday Health and Human Services. Among immunocompetent adults aged 18 years admitted to 24 hospitals in the IVY Network in 19 U.S. states, receipt of 24 monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses provided substantial protection against COVID-19associated IMV and in-hospital death during the Omicron variant period. The Omicron variant of the COVID virus first showed up in Harris County, and state officials (Photo by Xie Chuanhui/VCG via Getty Images). Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. The high positivity rates haven't yet translated into more deaths or dramatic numbers of hospitalizations in Texas, but some states that saw a surge in COVID-19 cases in November and early December are near or have surpassed record hospitalizations from the virus. https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccines (Accessed April 25, 2023). MMWR and Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report are service marks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The declaration went into effect immediately and will continue for seven days, unless the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court extends it. Other race, non-Hispanic includes American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander categories, which were combined because of small counts. North Texas hospitals are bracing for a possible rise in COVID-19 patients as the omicron variant spreads and families get together for Christmas. All adults should remain up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccination to prevent critical outcomes of COVID-19. In addition, Harris County confirmed its first case of the omicron variant spreading in the area on Monday. Houston Methodist identified the nine cases through comprehensive genome - New COVID boosters for omicron, BA.5 are out. Officials prepare for fast peaking of COVID-19 as the state, North Texas see an increase in cases, said this week that the variant accounted for 73% of new coronavirus infections, We cant imagine whats coming: Dallas sees uptick in COVID-19 testing heading into the holidays, Dallas Countys COVID-19 threat level will stay at orange. Adam S. Lauring reports receiving grants from FluLab, NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Burroughs Wellcome Fund, and consulting fees from Sanofi and Roche for consulting on oseltamivir and baloxavir respectively, outside the submitted work. XBB.1.16 dubbed Arcturus on social media is another descendant of omicron. All adults should remain up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccination to prevent critical COVID-19associated outcomes. * Hospitals by HHS region included Region 1: Baystate Medical Center (Springfield, Massachusetts), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, Massachusetts), and Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut); Region 2: Montefiore Medical Center (New York, New York); Region 3: Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Maryland); Region 4: Emory University Medical Center (Atlanta, Georgia), University of Miami Medical Center (Miami, Florida), Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, Tennessee), and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center (Winston-Salem, North Carolina); Region 5: Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, Ohio), Hennepin County Medical Center (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Henry Ford Health (Detroit, Michigan), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus, Ohio), and University of Michigan Hospital (Ann Arbor, Michigan); Region 6: Baylor Scott & White Medical Center (Temple, Texas) and Baylor University Medical Center (Dallas, Texas); Region 7: Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis, Missouri) and University of Iowa Hospitals (Iowa City, Iowa); Region 8: Intermountain Medical Center (Murray, Utah) and UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital (Aurora, Colorado); Region 9: Stanford University Medical Center (Stanford, California) and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Los Angeles, California); and Region 10: Oregon Health & Science University Hospital (Portland, Oregon) and University of Washington (Seattle, Washington).