Houston’s youngest COVID-19 death was girl under 10, officials say
HOUSTON - A girl under the age of 10 who died in mid-October is Houston’s youngest confirmed COVID-19 death, the health department said on Wednesday.
According to the Houston Health Department, the child, who was Black and had underlying health conditions, died at a Houston hospital. Officials said they could not provide further identifiable information due to privacy laws.
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Genomic sequencing did not identify the variant of virus that infected her, the health department said.
"The death of a child under any circumstance is heartbreaking. On behalf of the City of Houston, I extend my condolences to the girl’s family during this unimaginable time of grief," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. "This tragic COVID-19 related death serves as a reminder that we must get vaccinated, mask up, and get tested to protect our community during the Omicron surge, especially children too young to get vaccinated."
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As of Wednesday, the young girl is one of 3,978 confirmed COVID-19 deaths of Houstonians, health department officials said.
The health department reports seven (0.18%) of the city’s COVID-19 deaths were between 10 and 19, 1.2% were in their 20s, 3.5% were in their 30s, 8.3% in their 40s, 16.1% in their 50s, 24.2% in their 60s, 21.9% in their 70, and 24.7% were 80 and older.
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Health officials say getting vaccinated helps prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death, and helps reduce the spread of COVID-19. The health department says since COVID-10 vaccinations began, nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the state have been among people who were not fully vaccinated.
Due to the spread of the omicron variant, the health department also encourages everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask in public indoor places and crowded outdoor settings.
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"While most children who get COVID-19 recover, this tragedy is an example of how our youngest can get seriously ill and lose their lives to this disease," said Dr. David Persse, chief medical officer for the City of Houston. "Children who have underlying conditions are especially vulnerable to poor outcomes from COVID-19, especially when it comes to the possibility of co-infection with other respiratory illnesses."
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