New York records at least 5 Omicron cases

New York: Health officials have confirmed at least five cases of the omicron coronavirus variant in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday evening.

A 67-year-old woman from Suffolk County, two Queens residents, a Brooklyn resident and a fifth person believed to be a visitor to the state tested positive. Their vaccination statuses weren't immediately clear, but the woman from Suffolk County had received at least one dose,



Hochul said.

The cases come after a Minnesota resident tested positive for the variant following attendance at an anime convention in New York City.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the geographic spread of the positive tests suggested the variant was undergoing “community spread” in the city, and wasn't linked to any one event.