Georgia's First Omicron Case Confirmed In The State Traveled To South Africa

GEORGIA — The first in-state case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 has been reported in Georgia.

The patient recently traveled from South Africa and developed mild symptoms, and subsequently tested positive for the virus in Georgia, Georgia Department of Public Health officials said.

The case was announced Sunday.

This individual is not to be confused with a case reported Friday of a New Jersey woman who tested positive with the variant and traveled through Georgia, state officials said.

“The individual in New Jersey announced Friday is not the same individual in Georgia announced Sunday,” Georgia Department of Public Health spokeswoman Nancy Nydam said in an email to Patch.

That patient remains in New Jersey at this time after spending two days in Georgia, officials said.

The in-state Georgia case has been isolated, and the individual is at home, according to state public health officials. Contact tracing has begun to identify anyone the person may have come into contact with who might be at risk, officials said.

Scientists and infectious disease specialists are studying the new variant, which was identified late last month in South Africa, to determine just how contagious it is and whether it causes more severe illness than the original coronavirus strain or other variants, like the delta variant which caused massive sickness and death through the summer.

“Vaccination is key to preventing further transmission of COVID-19 and helps prevent new variants like Omicron from emerging,” commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health Dr. Kathleen E. Toomey said. “It also is important to remember that even as Omicron is emerging, we are still in the midst of a pandemic currently being fueled by the Delta variant.”

COVID vaccinations are now available for Georgians ages 5 and up, and individuals with compromised immune systems are encouraged to get a shot, and to get a booster if they have been immunized for more than six months, health officials said.

The first case of the omicron variant in the United States was reported in California on Wednesday, and was someone who had been vaccinated but had not gotten a booster shot. Omicron cases have since been confirmed in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Colorado, New York, New Jersey and Maryland.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also recommends general prevention measures such as wearing a mask in public settings, staying 6 feet from others, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and frequently washing your hands to protect against COVID-19.

Individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19 or who may have been exposed to someone with COVID should get tested, state health officials said in their release.

To find a COVID vaccine or COVID testing location near you log on to dph.ga.gov.