County COVID-19 Patients Increase To 287 As U.S. Officials Brief Biden On Omicron Variant

San Diego CA

29 November, 2021

6:03 PM

Description

By Editor, Times of San Diego November 29, 2021 COVID-19 hospitalizations and intensive-care admissions in San Diego County continued to rise, as President Joe Biden prepares to discuss the new coronavirus variant in public. According to state data reported Sunday, 287 patients are in the hospital for COVID-19 treatment in San Diego County, an increase of 18. Three more required intensive care, for a total of 85 in local ICUs. Meanwhile, the top U.S. infectious disease official, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told President Joe Biden on Sunday it will take about two weeks to have definitive information on the Omicron variant that already has sparked travel restrictions and shaken financial markets. Biden, returning to Washington following the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, was briefed in person by his coronavirus response team Sunday afternoon as officials expect the new variant to reach the U.S. despite an impending ban on travelers from South Africa, where it was first detected. Biden was due to update the public on the new variant and the U.S. response on Monday, the White House said. Other U.S. officials also sought more information about the new variant. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra – the former California attorney general – spoke to South Africa Health Minister Joe Phaahla Sunday, praising the country's transparency, according to a readout of the meeting. Reuters contributed to this report. Times of San Diego is an independent online news site covering the San Diego metropolitan area. Our journalists report on politics, crime, business, sports, education, arts, the military and everyday life in San Diego. No subscription is required, and you can sign up for a free daily newsletter with a summary of the latest news.