Comal County confirmed its first two cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 today.
In a statement, Public Information Officer Cary Zayas also reported 266 new cases of COVID-19 and the death of a New Braunfels man in his 50s who passed away Dec. 27 at a New Braunfels hospital.
Comal County Epidemiologist Connie Alaniz said anyone in the county who tests positive in the county should assume they are infected with the Omicron variant.
“Public Health has received two confirmed cases of the Omicron variant,” she said. “That doesn’t mean there are only two cases of the variant, it just means that two of the samples submitted for variant testing were positive for the Omicron variant. Identifying a variant requires additional testing, which is done on a random sample of specimens sent to public health laboratories. According to (Texas) Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the Omicron variant now accounts for the majority of COVID-19 cases in the United States, so if you have a positive COVID-19 test it is likely the Omicron variant.”
On Friday, Comal County hospitals reported caring for 39 COVID-19 patients. Of those, eight are in intensive care and four are on ventilators. Approximately 81% of these patients are unvaccinated.
Not all COVID-positive patients hospitalized in Comal County hospitals are necessarily county residents.
The total number of cases reported in Comal County since March 2020 now stands at 22,285. The total number of deceased is 486.
The percentage of fully vaccinated (two shots) residents is 61.90%.
The county’s Public Health Department is administering Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for those 18 and older and Pfizer vaccines for anyone five years and up. Booster vaccines also are available.
To schedule an appointment call 830-221-1150. The county asks residents to please be patient as call volume is high.
