Texas woman died of COVID-19 on flight, Dallas County judge says

DALLAS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The July death of a woman from the Dallas-area suburb of Garland has been confirmed as being related to COVID-19.

According to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins announced on Sunday that the woman, who died before the Arizona plane she was on departed for Texas, died on the jetway after having difficulty breathing.

Although she was given oxygen, she died shortly after, Jenkins told NBC DFW.

Dallas County reports the woman had underlying health conditions, but further information has not been released in consideration of her privacy.

Jenkins knocked Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent moves to relax COVID-19 mitigation rules, telling NBC Dallas-Forth Worth, “We keep jumping the gun and it puts us back in a situation which hurts public health and business and schools.”

On Oct. 7, Abbott announced bars in areas where COVID-19 hospitalizations were low — and if the county judge approved — could reopen at 50% capacity beginning Oct. 14.

Experts state and nationwide have expressed worries about the possibility of a “twin-demic” this fall, as flu season ramps up during a precarious — and ongoing — battle to stop the coronavirus.