First San Diego Omicron Case Found In Fully Vaccinated Resident With Booster Shot

KEY POINTS

The patient has recently traveled aboard
The individual has not been admitted to the hospital following the COVID-19 diagnosis
The Omicron variant has been detected in 50 countries and 21 US states

San Diego County health officials on Thursday announced their first case of the Omicron variant, a new COVID-19 variant first discovered in South Africa in November.

The county’s first case of the B.1.1.529 variant was identified in an individual who had recently traveled abroad. The patient, who has received three vaccine shots, tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 8. Health officials confirmed the patient had been infected with the Omicron variant Thursday morning through sequencing.

The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) noted that the patient was not admitted to the hospital following the diagnosis and is, instead, under isolation. The agency also added they are expecting more cases of the Omicron variant in the county.

“We are continuing to monitor for the Omicron variant and will report any other cases to the public when they are identified,” Public Health Officer Wilma Wooten said, as quoted by NBC San Diego.

The fast-spreading Omicron variant has been detected in 50 countries and 21 U.S. states, including Hawaii, Texas and Massachusetts. The variant is also driving a new surge of COVID-19 cases across the country, which is now reporting an average of over 100,000 new infections daily. Hospitalizations are also up by 25% from November, with deaths hitting close to an average of 1,600 a day.

Health experts have said that while the Omicron variant increases the risk of reinfection, it causes less severe symptoms than the Delta variant. And despite early data appearing to be encouraging, experts are now noticing a disturbing development.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Dr. Rochelle Walensky—director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—said that more than 75% of the 40-plus people known to be infected with the Omicron variant in the U.S. were vaccinated. Additionally, at least 33% had already received a booster shot of the vaccine.

However, she noted that most patients only experienced mild symptoms, including cough, congestion and fatigue. None of the patients have died of COVID-19 and only one was admitted to the hospital.

As of Thursday, the U.S. reported 49,505,304 COVID-19 cases and 791,933 deaths, according to an analysis by The New York Times.