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2 More Omicron Variant Cases Found on Long Island

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A second and third case of the coronavirus Omicron variant were confirmed Monday on Long Island, New York State officials said.

The two were among four new cases confirmed statewide, with the other two found upstate, according to the state Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center. None of the new cases are related to the recent Anime convention at the Javits Center that had the state’s first Omicron case, but the state still urges anyone who attended to get tested for Covid-19. 

“With the new variant circulating, the best way to stay safe and prevent serious illness during the holiday season is by getting vaccinated or a booster shot,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Omicron, first detected last month in southern Africa, has spread around the globe and shows signs of being more contagious than the Delta variant, which is still dominant in the United States.

Several dozen Omicron cases have been found in 18 out of 50 U.S. states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin, according to a Reuters tally.

The first Omicron case on was confirmed last week. It involved a 67-year-old Long Island woman with mild symptoms of a headache and cough who had recently returned from South Africa.

-With Reuters

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