Omicron COVID Variant Detected In New Hampshire For First Time
CONCORD, N.H. (CBS) – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday that the Omicron coronavirus variant has been detected in the state for the first time.
The variant was detected in an adult from Cheshire County who traveled out of state. They were exposed to another person who was subsequently identified with an Omicron variant infection.
According to health officials, the person was fully vaccinated, but had not received a booster shot. They had mild illness and recovered during home isolation.
Omicron is described as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization. A woman in her 20s became the first person in Massachusetts with a confirmed case of the variant earlier this month.
New Hampshire is currently dealing with a surge of COVID cases. On Thursday, the state reported that there were over 10,000 current cases of coronavirus for the first time ever.
"Anybody 5 years of age or older should get vaccinated against COVID-19, including people who were previously infected with COVID-19," State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in a statement. "And people who have already completed a primary COVID-19 vaccine series should get a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in order to have optimal protection against both the currently circulating Delta variant, and the new emerging Omicron variant."
