Dallas County health leaders monitoring omicron variant as first case reported near Houston
DALLAS - Harris County Public Health and the state health department are investigating the first known case of the new omicron variant in Texas.
The new variant is already in 19 states and is expected to spread.
The Houston Chronicle is reporting evidence that the new variant was found in eight wastewater treatment plants, leading doctors to believe the variant has already spread to some degree.
With omicron now detected in Texas and several other states, doctors are gearing up for what could be a tough next couple of months as they deal with both the delta and omicron variants.
MORE: First Texas omicron variant case confirmed in Houston area
"What we have to face is the likelihood we’re going to be looking at a twin epidemic in the United States," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. "I think, first of all, delta isn’t going away anytime soon. It’s highly transmissible. We’re now in for a winter delta wave again."
In Dallas County Commissioners Court Tuesday, county leaders shared concerns about the new variant and a possible second winter wave of COVID-19.
"Another thing about the person in Houston is they had no travel history," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. "So what that tells us is they got it from somebody here in America. It’s likely omicron is spreading through many urban areas that we don’t know about."
RELATED: COVID-19 cases remain low in North Texas compared to summer delta surge
With the new omicron variant on the horizon, Dallas County leaders are mirroring the federal push to get more booster shots in arms ahead of winter when more people will be gathering indoors.
"If you look at the proportion of delta and how delta just took over everything, you think early on there were a few cases. But then it’s 99% of the cases now are delta," said Dallas County Health Director Dr. Philip Huang. "That’s what they’re looking at in South Africa. They’re seeing some of the omicron taking more."
Federal health officials also shared Tuesday early data from South Africa shows omicron may be less severe. Hospital stays appear to be shorter, and there's less need for the use of oxygen in omicron patients.