An El Paso child under age 5 has died after testing positive for COVID-19, the youngest person in the county to die after being infected with the virus.

El Paso public health officials released few details, other than to say the child was under age 5 – therefore not eligible to be vaccinated – and had unspecified underlying health conditions.

“We are saddened to learn about the death of a child, and send our deepest condolences to the family members,” City-County Local Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza said in a prepared statement. “This is a sad reminder of how COVID can cause severe disease and complications that can lead to death on those who suffer from chronic medical conditions.

“We continue to stress the importance of getting vaccinated and boosted for those eligible, and in particular, adults caring for children with medical complexities, especially those children who are not able to receive the vaccine yet.”

The previous youngest person who died in El Paso after testing positive for COVID-19 was an 18-year-old male who died in December 2021.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week delayed a meeting on approving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 5. Currently, only people age 5 and older are eligible to be vaccinated.