Latest News

Second U.S. COVID-19 case caused by Omicron found


 

A second U.S. case of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant has been picked up by genetic testing in Minnesota.

The man, from Hennepin County, Minn., fell ill on Nov. 22 after attending the Anime NYC 2021 conference at the Javits Center in New York City a few days before. He sought testing on Nov. 24. His symptoms have resolved, according to a press release on the case from the Minnesota Department of Health. The man was fully vaccinated, the department said.

He was advised to isolate from others, but it’s unclear if he had contact with anyone else before he learning he was infected.

“This news is concerning, but it is not a surprise,” said Governor Tim Walz in a news release. “We know that this virus is highly infectious and moves quickly throughout the world. Minnesotans know what to do to keep each other safe now — get the vaccine, get tested, wear a mask indoors, and get a booster. Together, we can fight this virus and help keep Minnesotans safe,”

The first case of COVID-19 caused by Omicron was detected Dec. 1 in California. That case was in a traveler who had recently returned from South Africa.

This breaking news story will be updated.

A version of this article first appeared on WebMD.com.

Recommended Reading

CDC: Thirty percent of hospital workers in U.S. still unvaccinated
MDedge Rheumatology
CDC unveils mental health protection plan for health care workers
MDedge Rheumatology
COVID surge in Europe: A preview of what’s ahead for the U.S.?
MDedge Rheumatology
‘Misleading’ results in colchicine COVID-19 trials meta-analysis
MDedge Rheumatology
Fueling an ‘already raging fire’: Fifth COVID surge approaches
MDedge Rheumatology
Merck’s COVID-19 pill may be less effective than first hoped
MDedge Rheumatology
FDA panel backs first pill for COVID-19 by a small margin
MDedge Rheumatology
Fauci: Omicron ‘very different from other variants’
MDedge Rheumatology
Moderna warns of material drop in vaccine efficacy against Omicron
MDedge Rheumatology
First Omicron variant case identified in U.S.
MDedge Rheumatology