Just one day after the first case of the omicron variant was detected in the United States, a patient from California who was vaccinated and had been in South Africa, more infections with the new strain have been identified in at least three other states in the country .
The second known case of the variant was a Minnesota resident who had recently been traveling to New York City.
Hours later, the mayor of that city, Bill de Blasio, announced in a press conference that five patients with the variant were identified in the state, including a 67-year-old woman who had been in South Africa.
The authorities ask to maintain precautionary measures to avoid contagion of the new variant and to test for COVID-19 in case of having symptoms or having been exposed.John Locher / AP
Meanwhile, Colorado public health officials confirmed another case: a woman who also traveled to southern Africa and was fully vaccinated, but had not received a booster dose.
[They confirm the second US case of the omicron variant: a man in Minnesota who went to a convention in New York]
Colorado Governor Jared Polis said the potential scope of community-wide extension of the variant is still unclear, our sister network CNBC said.
The omicron variant has been confirmed, meanwhile, in
at least 23 countries around the world
, according to data from the World Health Organization.
It was first identified in Botswana last month and was brought before the WHO by public health officials in South Africa.
The main concern of the experts is that omicron is more transmissible and may elude the protection that vaccines currently provide.
The variant has about 50 mutations, more than 30 of which are in the protein that the virus uses to attach itself to human cells (and which vaccines target).
This is how you can protect yourself at home from the omicron variant of the coronavirus that has already arrived in the United States.
Dec. 1, 202102: 18
The situation has led the Government of Joe Biden to take a series of measures to prevent the spread of the new variant, among which are changes in the requirements of international travelers who want to enter the United States, who must now do a COVID test -19 in the 24 hours before taking the flight.
The requirement to use the mask on domestic flights and in public transport was also extended.
[USA. announces new restrictions as of December 6 for international travelers]
However, the president ruled out massive closures of economic activities and promised to keep schools open.
"Although this new variant is a reason to be concerned,
it is not a reason to panic,
" he said, "we have the tools we need to face this variant and continue advancing in the fight against the virus, we are more prepared than a year ago. ”.