Four more confirmed cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant in New York

Omnicron. It's the latest buzzword when it comes to COVID-19. First, it was the Delta variant, and now this. It's the new variant that everyone is talking about.

The new variant of the virus was first detected on November 11th in Botswana, and the second case was detected on November 14th, in South Africa. The variant has made its way to the US, and more specifically into our own backyard, New York State.

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According to a release from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, four more confirmed cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant have been detected in New York State. This brings the total number of confirmed Omnicron cases to 12 in the Empire State. The cases have been confirmed by the New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center. Of the four new cases, two are from Suffolk County and two are from Oneida County.

The Governor added:

"Four more cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant were just identified in New York State. With the new variant circulating, the best way to stay safe and prevent serious illness during the holiday season is by getting vaccinated or a booster shot. With more friends and family gathering indoors this time of year, we have the tools to fight this pandemic and you can protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated and encouraging others to get the shot, and mask up. We will continue to work with local leaders to provide the latest updates and make sure they have what they need to help prevent the spread of this deadly virus."

For more information on the Omnicron Variant of the COVID-19 virus, you can visit the New York State COVID-19 Variant Page.