Pasadena Confirms First Case Of Omicron Variant In The City

PASADENA, CA — The Pasadena Public Health Department announced Monday evening its first recorded case of the coronavirus omicron variant.

The infected person was fully vaccinated with a booster shot and hadn't traveled internationally before infection, health officials said. The virus was likely passed to the person locally in early December.

The person has since recovered from "a mild illness that did not require hospitalizations," and close contacts have been self-isolating, health officials said.

Omicron is the most recent coronavirus variant of concern, and scientists believe it's the most transmissible. The variant was identified in South Africa in late November, according to the World Health Organization.

Los Angeles County recorded its first case of the variant in early December in a person who had traveled to South Africa.

There have been 13 confirmed cases of the omicron variant in California since Dec. 8, according to the California Department of Public Health. But the delta variant remains the dominant strain of the virus in the state, with more than 180,000 confirmed cases.

City health officials said that COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce the chances of becoming hospitalized from or dying of COVID-19, including the variants.

“Now is the time for anyone who is not yet vaccinated to get fully vaccinated, and for everyone 16 years and older to get a booster dose," said Dr. Ying-Ying Goh, director of the Pasadena Public Health Department. "Getting vaccinated, including a booster, remains your best defense against COVID-19 variants."