The first Fort Bend County cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant were confirmed on June 23, according to the Fort Bend County Health & Human Services department.
While these were the first reported cases of the Delta variant—which was first detected in India in February—FBCHHS Communications Manager Rita Obey said it is likely the variety has been circulating previously in the county.
Of the five cases of the Delta variant confirmed in Fort Bend County June 23, three people had received one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, one person was unvaccinated and the vaccine status of the fifth person has not been determined, according to a press release. Although patients were experiencing symptoms, no one was hospitalized.
FBCHHS Director Dr. Jacquelyn Minter said current research shows that two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines are more than 80% effective against the Delta variant.
“These cases underscore the importance of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, especially with the Delta variant becoming more prevalent in the U.S.,” Minter said in the release. “The best protection that we have against this disease is to be fully vaccinated.”
As of June 24, 406,848 people in Fort Bend County are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
This represents 61.2% of the county’s population over the age of 12. Beginning in May, individuals 12 years old and older are able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas.
Furthermore, 86% of Fort Bend County residents over the age of 65 are fully vaccinated.
The DSHS has confirmed a total of 59,766 cases of the coronavirus and identified another 10,079 probable cases in Fort Bend County since the beginning of the pandemic. Additionally, 699 county residents have died from the coronavirus.
The seven-day rolling case average for new coronavirus cases in Fort Bend County as of June 24 is about 35 cases per day, according to FBCHHS. All data in the story reflects what the state and county are reporting as of 1 p.m. June 25.
