Clark County woman is Nevada’s first detected omicron case

The Southern Nevada Health District connected Tuesday reported the archetypal lawsuit detected successful Nevada of the omicron variant of COVID-19.

The lawsuit of the caller coronavirus strain, classified arsenic a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization successful precocious November, was recovered successful a afloat vaccinated Clark County pistillate successful her mid-20s, the territory said.

The pistillate is not hospitalized, said a wellness territory representative, who did not specify whether she had traveled to a state wherever the variant is prevalent.

“We are successful the process of interviewing her and volition supply further details erstwhile we person them,” typical Jennifer Sizemore said.

Nevada joins astatine slightest 30 different states successful the U.S. successful having identified a lawsuit of omicron, a strain archetypal detected successful South Africa that has been recovered successful astatine slightest 60 countries.

“We knew that it was lone a substance of clip that we would place the omicron variant successful Southern Nevada,” Dr. Fermin Leguen, the territory wellness officer, said successful a quality release.

The Nevada woman, though afloat vaccinated, had not received a booster shot. Some caller studies person shown that a booster helps to protect against the caller variant, which has mutations that whitethorn marque it much transmissible and much susceptible of evading antibodies from vaccination oregon anterior infection.

“The omicron variant successful Nevada is simply a reminder to each those who person not completed their COVID-19 vaccination series, that vaccination tin support against superior illness,” said Nevada State Epidemiologist Melissa Peek-Bullock.

Leguen delivered a akin message. “People tin support themselves from each variants of the COVID-19 microorganism by getting afloat vaccinated and getting a booster erstwhile they are eligible, wearing a disguise successful nationalist indoor settings, careless of their vaccination status, and staying location and getting tested if they are sick,” helium said.

The lawsuit was detected done familial investigation of a trial specimen by the Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory. The delta variant remains the ascendant strain successful Clark County, Nevada and the U.S.

Two weeks ago, omicron accounted for little than 0.5 percent of the coronaviruses that were genetically sequenced successful the U.S. That roseate to astir 3 percent past week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

An investigation Tuesday of information from South Africa, wherever the caller variant is driving a surge successful infections, suggests the Pfizer vaccine offers little defence against corruption from omicron and reduced, but inactive good, extortion from hospitalization.

It’s unclear whether omicron’s accelerated dispersed volition overwhelm hospitals. In South Africa, though lawsuit numbers are rising, infirmary admissions for adults diagnosed with COVID-19 are little compared with the question the state experienced successful mid-2020, according to the caller analysis.

Mark Pandori, manager of the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory successful Reno, sees nary metallic lining successful the anticipation that a little lethal strain volition go the ascendant one.

“We don’t request a caller infectious cause that is much infectious than flu astir each year, spreading perpetually and truthful evolving continuously,” helium said. “This is simply a immense assets drain connected Earth for the nationalist wellness and aesculapian assemblage to face.

“And the much it replicates, well, the much it volition change,” helium said astir the virus. “This won’t halt astatine omicron. Who knows what you germinate to adjacent if you fto it support evolving.”

Contact Mary Hynes astatine mhynes@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 connected Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.