North Texas woman who died on flight had COVID-19, officials confirm

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DALLAS - A woman from Garland who died of COVID-19 on an airline flight had underlying health conditions.

Officials said it happened in July as the woman was returning home from Phoenix.

She reportedly began having trouble breathing while the plane was still on the runway. The crew attempted to get her oxygen but she died on the jetway.

CONTINUED COVERAGE: Coronavirus in the U.S.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said a medical examiner determined her cause of death was COVID-19. She also had underlying high-risk health conditions.

The woman’s name was not released but officials said she was in her 30s.

COVID-19 cases rising in Dallas and Tarrant counties

The rising number of COVID-19 cases has some local health officials questioning whether school districts should continue to have in-person classes.

Jenkins said her death should remind all to do everything possible to stop the spread of the virus.

“We have people that get sick and are on a ventilator at all ages. So it’s very important that we make those kinds of decisions especially with our numbers going up so we don’t have more illness and death that can damage our economies and schools,” he said.

It’s not clear if the woman was experiencing any symptoms before she boarded the flight or if she knew she had COVID-19.

It’s also not clear which airline she was flying or whether there’s been any contact tracing.