Get tested if you went to NYC event, Hochul says
Amid new omicron case, Hochul urges those at Javits event to get tested
Gov. Kathy Hochul at a COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday. Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of the Governor
The person from Minnesota who tested positive for the variant had attended the Anime NYC 2021 convention, Hochul said. He was tested for the virus on Nov. 24 in Minnesota after developing symptoms.
The governor urged anyone who was at Javits between Nov. 18 and Nov. 22 to get tested for the virus.
Hochul was notified Thursday morning by Minnesota health officials that the man was infected with the omicron variant, classified by the World Health Organization as a "variant of concern." She said his symptoms since have subsided.
Officials have a list of the people who attended the event and will be contacting them, she said. All attendees had to be vaccinated to get in.
Hochul, during a press briefing, tried to reassure people not to panic, saying the state has many more resources to rely on, such as vaccines, which it lacked when the pandemic broke out in early 2020.
The governor said, as of now, there are "no confirmed cases in the state of New York. However, we are very cognizant of the fact that it is very likely soon that someone is going to test positive for this. We are ready, prepared. We’re not sounding the alarms. We are not overreacting to this."
The U.S. recorded its first confirmed case of the omicron variant on Wednesday in a vaccinated traveler who returned to California from a trip to South Africa.
The number of new positives reported today: 890 in Nassau, 1,079 in Suffolk, 2,364 in New York City and 11,300 statewide.
The map below shows the concentration of new cases around the Island.
This map shows COVID-19 case totals in communities across Long Island, with Suffolk data as of Tuesday and Nassau data as of Monday.
Search that map, and view charts that show the latest local trends in vaccinations, testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.
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Erin Serpico is an assistant web producer who joined Newsday in November 2018. Originally from New Jersey, she now covers community events and produces local content for newsday.com while also helping run the homepage.
