NEVADA (KTNV) — A third omicron case has been detected in Nevada.
The Nevada State Public Health Laboratory confirmed the omicron variant has been found in Washoe County as of Monday.
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Officials say the individual who tested positive is a man in his early 50s, fully vaccinated and received a booster. He did have international and domestic air travel that seems likely where he got exposure to the COVID variant.
The man is recovering and isolating at home, according to health officials.
“As we mentioned before it was only a matter of time before we identified this variant in Washoe County,” said Kevin Dick, district health officer. “The best form of protection residents can take against all variants is getting fully vaccinated and receiving a booster. It is also imperative, especially now with the cold weather and holiday gatherings, that they continue taking safety precautions such as staying home and getting tested if they feel sick and wearing a mask indoors in public.”
The Washoe County Health District urged residents to implement consistent mask-wearing, handwashing and isolate if they do test positive for COVID-19 or are waiting for results to avoid getting others sick.
“Variants develop when the virus has the opportunity to spread from person to person,” explained Dr. Nancy Diao, WCHD Director of Epidemiology. “Which is why vaccines and other preventive measures are so important in reducing the spread of the COVID-19 and slowing the rate of new variants developing.”
The World Health Organization named omicron and classified it as a variant of concern on Nov. 26.
The first omicron case in Nevada was reported earlier in Clark County.
