HELENA, Mont. (NMB) – The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has announced that the Omicron variant has been detected in two Montana residents who tested positive for COVID-19.
The cases are in fully vaccinated Gallatin County residents in their 30s with travel history to South Africa.
A press release says the variant was confirmed Monday through genomic sequencing performed at the Montana State Public Health Laboratory and at Montana State University.
The individuals, who had mild symptoms that are improving, are self-isolating and have been since returning to Montana.
DPHHS Director Adam Meier says that their Department continues to urge all eligible Montanans to get the COVID vaccine and booster and take other precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
While Omicron is classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Variant of Concern, scientists are still working to determine how it may compare with the predominant Delta variant in terms of transmissibility and disease severity. Scientists also are studying the degree to which existing vaccines and therapies protect against Omicron. The COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant.
