Minnesota Reports First Case of Omicron COVID-19 Variant

The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed the states first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant. According to MDH, the variant was found in a Minnesota resident who recently traveled to New York City.

“Since the beginning of this pandemic, Minnesota’s nation-leading genome sequencing infrastructure and strong testing network have allowed the state to quickly track the COVID-19 virus and better understand its spread. Today, those tools detected a case of the Omicron variant in Minnesota,” said Gov. Tim Walz. “This news is concerning, but it is not a surprise. We know that this virus is highly infectious and moves quickly throughout the world. Minnesotans know what to do to keep each other safe now, get the vaccine, get tested, wear a mask indoors and get a booster. Together we can fight this virus and help keep Minnesotans safe.”