Omicron variant found in wastewater in U.S. Houston

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been found in wastewater in Houston, the largest city in the south-central U.S. state of Texas, confirming the local spread of the new strain, city officials said on Tuesday.

The city has detected the Omicron variant in eight of its 39 wastewater treatment plants, according to multiple local media outlets.

A woman in her 40s living in Harris County, which covers much of Houston, was identified on Monday as Texas’ first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The woman was fully vaccinated and did not report any recent travel history, local media reported.

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The first COVID-19 Omicron variant case in Chicago was identified in someone who had contact with an individual who had travelled to the city and tested positive for omicron in another state, Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday, adding that the person was fully vaccinated with a booster dose and is not hospitalized.

First reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, Omicron has been listed as a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization.