NEW YORK, Dec 3 — Five cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant were reported here on Thursday, hours after cases were detected in the US states of Minnesota and Colorado.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the confirmed cases during a press conference late Thursday, saying that officials were still gathering details on the cases.
“No cause for alarm … we don’t have more information at this time, but we suspect there will be more cases emerging,” she said.
The news came as multiple cases have been detected in the United States.
Minnesota health authorities confirmed the second US case of Omicron variant earlier Thursday in a resident with a recent travel history to New York City for the Anime NYC convention held at the Javits Center on Nov 19-21.
Event organisers say the festival attracted more than 50,000 people, all of whom were required to be vaccinated and wear masks indoors.
Officials are urging everyone who attended the event to get tested, wear masks and take precautions like social distancing.
Also on Thursday, health authorities reported another case in a Colorado woman who had recently traveled to southern Africa.
The first US Omicron case was confirmed in California on Wednesday in a person who recently returned to San Francisco from a trip to South Africa.
The Biden administration announced on Thursday an array of new measures to combat the virus.
— Bernama
