LDH: Probable COVID omicron variant cases are in Northwest Louisiana; more found statewide
Late Wednesday afternoon, the Louisiana Department of Health added two individuals in Region 7 to the growing number of probable cases in the state.
LDH defines Region 7 as Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, De Soto, Red River, Sabine, Webster parishes.
This brings the total number of cases to 17, which includes 16 probable cases and one confirmed.
No travel information was available for the region's two new cases.
On Sunday, the department announced the probable case out of the New Orleans area had been confirmed.
Earlier Wednesday, they announced probable cases in the Acadiana region.
As news broke that the new variant has reached the United States, Dr. John Vanchiere, Infectious Disease Specialist LSU Health, Shreveport said, "Yep. Not Surprised."
"The definitive 'are we protected' is not known yet, and won't be for a couple of weeks. Based on the sequencing and what we know about the protection of the vaccine, we expect there will be some protection. But we don't how much protection," said Vanchiere, who also serves as director of the COVID-19 Strike Team at LSU Health.
Misty Castile is the editor of the Shreveport Times. You can reach her at mcastile@gannett.com or on Twitter at @castilemisty.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Probable COVID-19 omicron variant cases are in Northwest Louisiana
