Health officials in Tarrant County confirmed Tuesday that a senior adult who tested positive for COVID-19, has died.
Patrick James, 77, was a resident of the Texas Masonic Retirement Center in Arlington, where he lived with his wife.
Officials said James died on Sunday, March 15.
TCPH officials said they are releasing information about James' residence because the facility provides housing to retired persons and senior citizens who are most vulnerable to coronavirus.
The county health department will now work with the retirement center to assess the other residents and staff.
James was Greg Brandt's stepfather. Brandt said the last several weeks were tough on everyone.
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"He got sick. He got congested. He thought he had the flu," Brandt said.
James was later diagnosed with double pneumonia. It was after his death that his family found out he also had coronavirus.
"He was in the hospital for about four days before they gave him the test," Brandt said. "He wasn't in the priority testing because he hadn't traveled abroad."
Tuesday, Brandt said his mother, James' wife was showing symptoms of coronavirus as well.
"Absolutely. I'm 100% sure she has it," Brandt said.
Jean James, 75, is in isolation and grieving the loss of her husband.
"My number one concern right now is my mother-in-law," said Brandt's wife, Shelly.
Health officials are investigating the possible source of the infection and determining who the patient may have come into contact with while he was ill.
“On behalf of Tarrant County Public Health, I want to express our deepest sympathy to the family of this person,” said Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja.
James was the second death in the state of Texas related to coronavirus.
The first was a man in his late 90s who died Sunday evening at Matagorda Regional Medical Center with symptoms consistent with the virus. The patient was a resident of the county.
