ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minnesota traveler, just back from a New York convention, has tested positive for the new Omicron variation of the corona virus. It is the state’s first Omicron case, the state Health Department said. The victim lives in Hennepin County. The man had been fully vaccinated against Covid, the health agency said. His symptoms have now disappeared. The man was tested on November 24 after returning with mild symptoms from a three-day convention of animation enthusiasts at Javits Center in New York. The convention attracted 50,000 people.
Verbatim
Jan Malcolm, state health commissioner: “We still have more to learn about Omicron, but the most important thing we can do right now is to use the tools we have available to make it as hard as possible for this virus to spread. In addition to vaccination and boosters, we can slow the spread of this variant and all Covid variants by using the tried-and-true prevention methods of wearing masks, staying home when sick, and getting tested when appropriate.”
First U.S. case
The first Omicron case confirmed in the United State was identified Monday in San Francisco. The victim was a traveler who had just returned from South Africa, where the Omicron mutation was first identified. The case was mild. The person was not hospitalized.