Omicron Has Arrived In New Jersey. The First Incidence of the COVID Variation was Identified

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Omicron Has Arrived In New Jersey. The First Incidence of the COVID Variation was Identified

Omicron Variant in NJ

Officials claimed the infected woman had just been to South Africa and has been isolated since testing positive.

Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli revealed Friday that the first Omicron variant case had been discovered in the state.

Officials claimed the woman had recently been to South Africa and was completely immunized. The woman has yet to be named by the authorities.

The woman has been isolated since her positive test on Nov. 28 and is experiencing moderate symptoms, according to state officials. Authorities claimed she was recovering on Friday after being treated in an undisclosed North Jersey hospital.

“The Omicron variant is among us and we need to take steps to stop its spread. It is vital that residents remain as vigilant as possible as we await more information about the variant,” Murphy said in a statement. “Vaccinations and mask wearing have proven to be an effective tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and I urge everyone ages 18 and over to receive a booster.”

The specimen was sequenced by the New Jersey Department of Health laboratory to confirm that it was the Omicron variety, which was originally found late last month in South Africa and has quickly spread throughout the world.

It has subsequently been found in more than 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, prompting the United States and other countries to impose travel restrictions that experts warn were likely too late to prevent the virus from spreading.

"The fight against COVID-19 is not over," Persichilli said in a statement, citing an increase in cases and the discovery of the Omicron in the state. "We're still learning about the Omicron strain, but we have tools to block the virus from spreading, the most essential of which is getting vaccinated and getting a booster shot." The public should continue to wear masks, get tested if they have symptoms, keep a safe distance from others, avoid crowded gatherings, stay at home while unwell, and wash their hands frequently."

This week, the first omicron case in the United States was discovered in California. It has now been found in Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania, including one instance involving a guy who attended a huge anime convention in New York City in late November and tested positive for the strain when he returned to Minnesota.

PRESS BRIEFING

While the prevalent delta strain continues to push up COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates, it has arrived in New Jersey. As of Friday night, 1,112 people in New Jersey were infected with the coronavirus, with 208 of them in intensive care and 93 on ventilators. On Friday, the state's seven-day average for new positive tests jumped to 2,499, up 128 percent over the previous month. Since April 24, the average has been at its greatest level.

"What scientists are attempting to figure out is whether this variety is more transmissible than others, and whether it causes more serious illnesses." Stephanie Silvera, a professor at Montclair State University and an infectious disease expert, told NJ Advance Media earlier this week. "The delta version, for example, appears to be more transmissible than other variants we've studied." They'll also be checking to see if it manages to evade vaccine protection in the end. It's just not something we can figure out right now."

According to health authorities, Omicron has resulted in mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 so far. However, because of the threat posed by the strain, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated this week that every adult in the United States should take a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine if they are eligible.

"Now is not the time," according to Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious disease at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, to let your guard down, especially as the winter months and the holidays approach.

The first verified omicron case in the United States was discovered on Wednesday. It involved a fully vaccinated person who flew from South Africa to California on November 22 — before the travel restrictions were put in place — and tested positive on November 29.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the person was suffering "minor symptoms that are improving at this point."

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