Omicron Variant Found in Suffolk, New York City

New York State has found five cases of residents infected with the omicron variant of Covid-19, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday night.

All five cases have been found in the New York City area, including one in Suffolk involving a woman who recently returned from a trip to South Africa. The other cases were found in New York City.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who appeared with the governor at a press conference at City Hall Thursday evening, said, “All five cases appear to be mild.”

The governor said, “We knew this was coming. Mayor, we talked about this, you and I have been in communication already. No cause for alarm, we just want to make sure that the public is aware of information when we receive it. We don’t have more information at this time, but we suspect there’ll be more cases emerging. And the best thing that everyone can do is realize we’re not defenseless against this variant at all. That the vaccine we know is going to ensure that there’s less severe symptoms. The booster is something I would highly recommend. If you’re not vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you have vaccinations, both, get the third dose, which is your booster.”

The omicron variant has thus far been found in the United States in California, Colorado, Minnesota and now New York. It was first reported in South Africa, but has since to found to already be in several other countries. The Minnesota case involved a resident who had spent time in New York City at a recent anime convention at the Javits Center. The governor urged anyone who attended to get tested for COVID-19. These cases are believed to be unrelated to that convention.

 

 

 

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