Ómicron becomes the dominant variant of COVID-19 in Miami

In a matter of weeks, the omicron surpassed the delta as the dominant variant of the coronavirus in county Miami-Dade, according to genomic surveillance data.

LOOK: USA: More than 40 cases of coronavirus detected on a cruise ship that arrived in Miami

Genetic sequencing of the virus showed that the presence of the omicron variant grew from a small fraction of hundreds of samples taken in the first week of December to three out of four tests performed last week.

• Daily infections in Spain reach the maximum of the pandemic with almost 50,000
• Israel records the first death from the omicron variant: a man with pathologies who had two vaccines
• COVID-19: What are the symptoms of the omicron variant of the coronavirus so far known

“It is absolutely amazing how contagious this variant has proven to be,” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told the Miami Herald newspaper. His office was in charge of providing the genomic surveillance data.

The county contracted with NOMI Health to perform the tests, administer the vaccines, and do the sequencing. The company found that 76% of the 504 COVID-19 tests conducted between December 14-15 were from the omicron. This compared to 64% of 378 tests performed between Dec. 10-13 and 1.3% of 373 samples taken Dec. 1-5, according to county records.

The variant is also sweeping the nation, accounting for 73% of new infections recorded last week, federal health officials reported.

The county is also seeing an increase in positive COVID-19 cases, standing at 10% after falling to about 1% a month ago, according to the data.

Last week, Levine Cava reimposed an emergency order requiring hospitals to provide daily bed inventories and COVID-19 patient counts.

“And it is up to us to protect ourselves and the most important thing we can do is vaccinate,” he said.

• The abominable case of a young woman who was dismembered on her Tinder date
• Son of ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán ordered the murder of “a popular Mexican singer” who did not want to participate in his wedding
• The United States registers the lowest population growth in its history due to a pandemic and fall in migration
• Ómicron sweeps the US and is already the dominant variant of the coronavirus with 73% of new cases
• Peruvian doctor in the US: “Omicron is a variant of hell, it is infecting everyone” | INTERVIEW

.

Deshawn