FORT WORTH, Texas — Just days before the beginning of the new year, the COVID-19 omicron variant continues to tighten its grip on North Texas.
For the first time since cases and hospitalizations started trending upward, Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth told WFAA that its inpatient population has tripled since last week.
Right now, according to the hospital's Medical Director of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Mary Whitworth, Cook's is treating up to 29 children with COVID-19.
At least five of them are in the ICU as of Wednesday. Last week, Whitworth said hospitalizations were at eight.
"Our peak was around 50 in September," Dr. Whitworth said. "This is not a hill like the delta variant was, and this is a vertical climb in the number of cases and percent positivity for us. It has been faster and more rapid than before."
Whitworth told WFAA that the hospital was keeping a close eye on the increase in cases and said that most hospitalized patients are not vaccinated.
She, however, did not specify the ages of those unvaccinated. Right now, only children five and up are eligible for a vaccine.
"We are having regular meetings with our command center to make plans -- we continue to work through where these patients go," Whitworth said.
Whitworth also added that due to the faster spread of omicron that parents who haven't considered getting their kids vaccinated -- should.
She also said that masks should be worn in schools as a precaution and expects cases to grow when classes resume after the holiday break.
"We keep thinking this is going to get better, then a new surge comes along," Whitworth said. "In the omicron era, t's a good idea to wear a mask in school."
While health experts have underscored that omicron cases seem to be milder, Whitworth said there isn't a ton of data that supports the notion just yet.
"If there are exponentially more people infected and more people getting hospitalized, that science has not been settled just yet," Whitworth said.
Whitworth said parents worried about kids under the age of 5 who are not eligible for a vaccine should have them mask up and stay in well-ventilated areas.
Washing hands is encouraged, and Whitworth added that parents should inquire about employees' vaccination status at their child's preschool or daycare.
Children's Health in Dallas is reporting 43 pediatric COVID hospitalizations.
For the week of Dec. 19, 232 children tested positive for COVID by the hospital.
The week before, that number was 67.