Unvaxxed man who had COVID before believed to be first U.S. Omicron fatality

Health officials in Harris County, Texas, reported on Monday that a man aged between 50 and 60 had died after testing positive for Omicron.

The man, who was not named, had previously been infected with COVID-19, health officials said. They added that the patient was “at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19 due to his unvaccinated status and underlying health conditions.”

Harris County Public Health Director Barbie Robinson said the man’s death was “a reminder of the severity of COVID-19 and its variants.”