US records second Omicron case in Minnesota: Health officials

United States recorded its second case of Omicron variant of coronavirus on Thursday in Minnesota, a day after the first one was found in California. The variant was first detected in South Africa earlier this month.

Minnesota state health officials announced that lab testing confirmed the case on Thursday.

Also Read: Omicron may turn out to be deadlier than Delta, says South African scientist

As per reports from Associated Press, the variant was found during its surveillance program in a specimen from a Minnesota resident who had recently traveled to New York City.

The unnamed man, who is a resident of Hennepin County in Minnesota, had been vaccinated against the deadly disease. He developed mild symptoms on November 22, which later subsided. The man sought a COVID test two days later.

The department said the man attended the Anime NYC 2021 convention at the Javits Center in New York City, which was organised between November 19 and 21. 

United States recorded its first case of COVID-19’s Omicron variant on Wednesday in California, according to a statement released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The health department noted that the individual had a travel history to South Africa and is currently in self-quarantine. The unnamed person was experiencing “mild symptoms that are improving”.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is taking steps to tighten United States testing rules for travelers from overseas, including requiring a test for all travelers within a day of boarding a flight to the United States regardless of vaccination status. It was also considering mandating post-arrival testing.

Officials said those measures would only “buy time” for the country to learn more about the new variant and to take appropriate precautions, but that given its transmissibility its arrival in the United States was inevitable.