What we know about U.S. omicron cases

Greater than 20 individuals in a minimum of 11 U.S. states have examined optimistic for the omicron variant of the virus that causes Covid-19. The sufferers vary in age, vaccination standing and journey historical past, however none of them have developed extreme illness thus far.

Whereas some sufferers had not too long ago traveled in southern Africa, the place the variant was first detected, others had no journey historical past, indicating that neighborhood transmission is underway within the U.S.

“We completely have neighborhood unfold on this nation,” Dr. Anthony Fauci advised Bloomberg Tv on Friday. “We do not know what number of of them, however there is no doubt there’s neighborhood unfold.”

Scientists and public well being officers are nonetheless gathering information on whether or not omicron is extra transmissible, higher evades immune safety from vaccines, and/or causes extra extreme illness than different variants.

Those that have examined optimistic within the U.S. have all proven gentle to average signs and not one of the sufferers have been hospitalized thus far, in line with essentially the most present data from state public well being departments. Nevertheless, gentle circumstances of Covid can progress to extra extreme illness over time.

Most of the individuals who have examined optimistic within the U.S. have been absolutely vaccinated. Not less than two of the sufferers who have been immunized had not acquired booster pictures but, however one other particular person had acquired their extra dose. And in a minimum of one case, an individual who had beforehand recovered from Covid examined optimistic for omicron.

Whereas the handful of circumstances within the U.S. do not present any definitive solutions about omicron, the World Well being Group stated Friday that early information suggests the virus is extra contagious. And South African scientists printed a research, which has not but been peer reviewed, that discovered omicron carries a better threat of reinfecting individuals who beforehand caught Covid than previous variants.

Though a number of the individuals who examined optimistic for omicron have been absolutely vaccinated, the truth that they’ve developed gentle signs means that the pictures are nonetheless offering safety towards extreme illness from the variant, U.S. well being officers stated. Fauci stated Friday throughout a White Home Covid briefing that lab research point out booster pictures improve antibody safety towards a spread of variants.

“There’s each purpose to consider that in case you get vaccinated and boosted that you’d have a minimum of a point of cross-protection,” Fauci stated, “very possible towards extreme illness, even towards the omicron variant.”

“This an infection is almost certainly travel-related,” the Los Angeles County public health department said. The division, citing privateness issues, wouldn’t disclose the particular person’s age or booster standing when requested by CNBC on Friday.

In Minnesota on Thursday, public well being officers confirmed an omicron case in an grownup male who was absolutely vaccinated and had not too long ago returned from an anime conference on the Javits Heart in New York Metropolis. His signs have been gentle and have since resolved, according to the state health department.

The Minnesota resident had acquired a booster shot previous to attending the conference in New York, Minnesota public well being spokesman Doug Schultz advised CNBC on Friday.

On Thursday morning, Colorado confirmed a case of omicron in a totally vaccinated grownup girl who had not acquired a booster shot. The lady, like the primary case in California, had a current journey historical past to southern Africa, the place the variant was first detected. She is experiencing minor signs and is recovering at dwelling, according to Colorado’s health department.

Gov. Jared Polis advised residents throughout a press convention Thursday that well being officers consider neighborhood unfold is low in Colorado in the intervening time. Well being officers haven’t but detected omicron by wastewater evaluation, they usually haven’t detected a second case by genetic sequencing but.

“So if it was prevalent, we’d know — it does not imply it is nonexistent,” Polis stated.

Hawaii confirmed a case in Oahu on Thursday in an individual who was beforehand contaminated with Covid, was by no means vaccinated and had no journey historical past, according to the state health department. The particular person is displaying average signs, it stated.

“It is a case of neighborhood unfold,” the division stated in a press launch.