CHARLOTTE — Health leaders in North Carolina said there are no confirmed cases of the omicron in the state, but reporter John Paul found one case of COVID-19 may be tied to the New York City anime convention where the variant was discovered last week.
A New York Times article quotes Peter McGinn, of Minneapolis, who had omicron.
McGinn told Channel 9 he was tested because his friend who lives near Greenville, North Carolina got COVID-19 at the same anime convention in New York City.
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McGinn said he got tested because of that.
He said the health department in Minneapolis told him it’s likely they had the same cases; but to McGinn’s knowledge, his positive test has not been sequenced.
Dr. Raynard Washington, with the Mecklenburg County Health Department explained sequencing to Paul.
Washington said a lab at UNC Charlotte randomly sequences tests.
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“If there were just one case in Mecklenburg County, the likelihood that we would catch it early on is lower than if there were more cases,” Washington said.
Washington said it’s not a matter of if omicron will get to the area, but when it will be discovered.
“It’s very likely that it’s in North Carolina or even in Mecklenburg County,” Washington said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said omicron may not be as bad as delta, but it may spread faster.
(Watch the video below: Omicron variant: Washington state, Wisconsin, Connecticut report 1st cases)
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