TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – A woman who recently traveled from South Africa is both New Jersey and Georgia’s first confirmed case of the omicron variant of COVID-19, authorities said late Friday.
The woman is a fully vaccinated Georgia resident who tested positive on Sunday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and the state Department of Health said in a press release. She sought care for moderate symptoms at an emergency room and is recovering and remaining in isolation, officials said.
The Georgia Department of Public Health said the woman was in Georgia for two days between arriving from South Africa and traveling onward to New Jersey.
“The Omicron variant is among us and we need to take steps to stop its spread. It is vital that residents remain as vigilant as possible as we await more information about the variant,” Murphy said, urging residents to wear masks, get vaccinated and get a booster shot to reduce the spread of the virus.
The Health Department laboratory “performed sequencing on the specimen” to confirm it was the omicron variant. Georgia officials said contact tracing was ongoing in both Georgia and New Jersey. They said no additional cases have been found so far in Georgia.