New Jersey's first COVID-19 omicron case traced to Georgia resident

Candace Mitchell
·1 min read
FILE - Pictured here is the COVID-19 Omicron variant. A new subvariant called EG.5, "Eris," has spread across the southeast.

New Jersey's first identified case of the COVID-19 omicron variant was traced to a Georgia woman who traveled to the state.

The woman is fully vaccinated and recently traveled to South Africa, where the variant was initially reported, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and New Jersey Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said in a statement.

The woman has been in isolation since Nov. 28 when she tested positive for the virus. Her symptoms were described as moderate.

“With cases increasing and the identification of the omicron in the state, the fight against COVID-19 is not over,” said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. “We are still learning about the omicron variant, but we have tools to stop the spread of the virus, most important among them is to get vaccinated and get a booster dose.

Need a COVID-19 test? Plenty of Augusta-area locations offer them

Vaccines: Here's where to get a COVID-19 vaccination in the Augusta area

Omicron in the US: Where it was detected, vaccine effectiveness and symptoms

Omicron has the potential to be more transmissible than other strains, but scientists caution that it is too early to determine how fast it can spread, if it causes severe illness and how effective vaccines are against it.

The first U.S. case of the omicron variant was reported in California on Wednesday. New York identified five cases of the omicron variant late Thursday — four cases were traced to New York City.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Omicron in Georgia: NJ first case of COVID variant traced to GA resident