Second U.S. case of Omicron variant detected in Minnesota

An Omicron variant case has been found in the state of Minnesota, which is the second case of the U.S. and the first case in the state of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) said its Public Health Laboratory has found the variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus known as Omicron in a specimen from a Minnesota resident with recent travel history to New York City.

The variant was found through the MDH variant surveillance program, which is one of the strongest surveillance programs in the nation, the MDH said in a statement.

“Having a robust virus surveillance system in place allowed MDH to quickly identify Omicron once it entered the state and made it more likely that Minnesota would be among the first states to find the variant,” said in a statement.

Gov. Tim Walz said the “this news is concerning, but it is not a surprise.”

“We know that this virus is highly infectious and moves quickly throughout the world,” he said.

“Minnesotans know what to do to keep each other safe now — get the vaccine, get tested, wear a mask indoors, and get a booster. Together, we can fight this virus and help keep Minnesotans safe,” he added.

The first case of the omicron variant in the U.S. was detected in California, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.

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