Second San Diego Resident Infected With Omicron Variant Had Not Traveled, County Says

San Diego CA

11 December, 2021

10:41 AM

Description

By Elizabeth Ireland, Times of San Diego December 10, 2021 A man in his 30s is believed to have contracted the Omicron COVID-19 variant locally, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency announced Friday. The patient tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health Alliance determined it was the Omicron variant through whole genome sequencing late Thursday, making it the second documented case of the variant in the county. The case was detected through the Expedited COVID Identification Environment lab at UC San Diego. According to the HHSA, the San Diego County resident did not have a travel history, had mild symptoms which have resolved and did not need to be hospitalized. The man, who was fully vaccinated and had received his booster shot more than two weeks earlier, is currently at home in isolation. "This case confirms our expectation that the Omicron variant is now spreading in the community," said Dr. Wilma J. Wooten, county public health officer. "While the Delta variant remains the main strain circulating in San Diego, we expect to see more Omicron cases in the region." "San Diegans should continue taking the recommended precautions, especially getting all the recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses," Wooten said. City News Service contributed to this article. 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.