Maryland Has Three Confirmed Cases Of The Omicron Variant Of COVID-19, Hogan Says

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) — Gov. Larry Hogan connected Friday announced 3 Marylanders person the caller Omicron variant of COVID-19.

All 3 residents are successful the Baltimore region. Two cases are successful the aforesaid household, including a vaccinated idiosyncratic who precocious traveled to South Africa and an unvaccinated idiosyncratic who was a adjacent contact, Hogan’s bureau said.

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The different unrelated lawsuit involves a vaccinated idiosyncratic who has not precocious traveled.

None of the 3 confirmed cases are hospitalized.

“Thanks to our assertive surveillance system, we person rapidly identified the archetypal cases of the Omicron variant successful Maryland,” said Hogan. “We impulse Marylanders to proceed taking precautions to support themselves and their loved ones safe. Getting a vaccine oregon a booster changeable is the azygous astir important happening that you tin bash to support yourself and those astir you. This is simply a rapidly evolving situation, and we volition proceed to support Marylanders updated arsenic caller accusation becomes available.”

The Omicron strain—first discovered successful South Africa—has much than 50 mutations and has alarmed wellness officials worldwide. New York, California, Hawaii, Minnesota and Colorado person besides reported cases of the Omicron variant.

Speaking astatine a property briefing earlier this week, Hogan said helium was acrophobic astir the caller variant, but did not expect determination to beryllium immoderate further lockdowns.

“We’re going to beryllium encouraging radical to spell backmost to the things that kept america harmless successful the archetypal place, which astir apt means immoderate societal distancing, masking, but astir importantly, getting vaccinated,” the politician said Monday.

The politician encouraged Marylanders to get the vaccine oregon booster shot. “Obviously, you’re overmuch amended disconnected being afloat immunized. If you haven’t gotten your booster, you’re astatine greater risk.”

Hogan said helium received a briefing connected Monday from the state’s COVID-19 Response Team connected the caller variant.

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It is not yet wide however effectual the vaccines are against Omicron.

Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa told WJZ that has caused interest among wellness experts.

“We’re not definite yet if it makes this peculiar mentation much transmissible,” she said. “That’s what scientists are truly racing astir the timepiece to find out.”

She inactive encouraged radical to get vaccinated and said present is simply a bully clip to springiness eligible children the shot. “It’s conscionable a reminder that we are not retired of this,” Dr. Dzirasa said.

Maryland reported 1,700 caller COVID-19 cases connected Friday, arsenic the authorities surpassed 11,000 deaths from the virus.

In effect to Friday’s news, Anne Arundel County officials and nationalist wellness authorities implored residents to get the vaccine and their booster shots if they haven’t already done so.

County Executive Steuart Pittman said the county’s authorities is prepared for the caller variant, which has been described arsenic perchance much easy transmissible than different variants. He said the region has an effectual arsenal astatine its disposal, but helium challenged each nonmigratory to bash their part.

“My inquire is that each 1 of america enlist,” Pittman said. “Please vaccinate, boost, mask, and test, and plead with the radical you emotion to bash the same. That’s however we volition proceed to prevention lives.”

Fortunately for Maryland residents, there’s already a blueprint successful spot to incorporate the virus’s spread, said Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, the county’s wellness officer.

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“It’s the aforesaid arsenic what we bash now. Get vaccinated, deterioration your inquire successful nationalist settings and get tested if you person symptoms,” Dr. Kalyanaraman said.