1st Coronavirus Death In Harris County; 5th In State

An elderly Harris County resident is the county's first confirmed death from the new coronavirus known as COVID-19, according to Harris County Public Health. The man was a nursing home resident who was hospitalized when he died, officials said.

It's the fifth death in Texas related to the disease. The three previous deaths were reported in Matagorda, Tarrant and Collin counties. Officials in Dallas County also announced the death of a man with coronavirus on Thursday.

Officials said the man, who was between 80-90, was at high-risk for the illness because of his age and underlying health conditions. The health department is working to identify any close contacts with the man.

"Our hearts go out to the patient's family and we extend our deepest sympathies," Dr. Umair A. Shah, the executive director of the health department, said in a statement. "We knew that it was a matter of time before we encountered this unfortunate situation. This is a reminder of the severity of COVID-19, especially to those at an increased risk of developing serious complications including death."

The health department cautioned that while 80 percent of those who get sick will have mild to moderate symptoms, they can spread the disease to high-risk patients, including the elderly, those with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions.

Health officials said there is now evidence of community spread and everyone should follow social distancing guidelines to protect the vulnerable population.

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the county said it has 19 confirmed cases of the virus, not including those within the city of Houston. In Houston, city officials announced on Thursday that there are 11 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the city.

On Thursday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all restaurants to close to dine-in customers and also ordered a statewide closure of schools.

"We are doing this now today so we can get back to business as usual more quickly," Abbott said. "Working together, we must defeat COVID-19 with the only tool that we have available to us — we must strangle its expansion by reducing the ways that we are currently transmitting it."

In Harris County, officials had already ordered the closure of bars and restaurants except for delivery and take-out. Abbott's declaration on Thursday also prohibits the gathering of more than 10 people.

The city of Houston issued the following guidance for social distancing:

• Avoid gatherings of 10 or more people.
• Maintain at least 6 feet of separation from other people.
• Avoid eating or drinking in bars, restaurants, and food courts – use drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options.
• Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.
• Do not visit nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical care situations.
• Practice healthy hygiene habits:
  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer when you can't wash your hands.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, use the elbow of your sleeve. Don’t use your hands to cover coughs and sneezes.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick, especially if you are at higher risk for coronavirus.
• Get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids, eat healthy foods, and manage your stress to keep your immunity strong.
• Work or engage in schooling from home whenever possible.