Here's how omicron is looking in the United States: - 43 cases in 19 states - ~75% of cases are people who are fully vaccinated - 1 person hospitalized - 1/3 had traveled internationally - 1/3 had received a booster
The number of people who have tested positive for omicron in the U.S. remains low, but hospitals and health officials remain on high alert as the overall number of COVID-19 cases continues to tick up and some hospitals are pressured by a growing number of cases.
The new variant, which was first detected in South Africa, is thought to be more infectious; however, it’s unclear if it causes more severe disease. A study in Japan showed that the omicron variant was 4.2 times more contagious than the delta strain, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. The regulator is also expected to authorize BioNTech SE BNTX, -2.65% and Pfizer Inc.’s PFE, +1.32% COVID-19 booster for 16 and 17-year-olds, after telling Bloomberg that it does not plan to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss authorization of a booster in this age group.The virus apparently attacks fat tissue, in addition to immune cells located within fat cells, according to a preprint reported on by the New York Times. “This could well be contributing to severe disease,” Dr.