Now-dominant Omicron variant drives surge in COVID cases across U.S.
NEW YORK, (Reuters) - COVID-19 cases surged in New York City and across the United States over the weekend, dashing hopes for a more normal holiday season, resurrecting restrictions and stretching the country's testing infrastructure ahead of holiday travel and gatherings.
The fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus has become dominant in the United States with lightning speed, and claimed the life on Monday of an unvaccinated man in Texas, officials said.
The spike in COVID-19 cases is alarming public health officials, who fear an explosion of infections after the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
The Omicron variant now accounts for 73% of U.S. coronavirus infections based on sequencing data for the week ended on Saturday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday.
With the new variant in circulation, COVID-19 cases are now doubling in 1-1/2 to three days in areas with community transmission, the World Health Organization said on Saturday.
Lines for COVID-19 tests wrapped around the block in New York, Washington and other U.S. cities over the weekend as people clamored to find out if they were infected before celebrating the holidays with family.
"I just want to make sure before seeing my wife's 70year-old mom that I'm negative," said David Jochnowitz while waiting for a test in Washington.
With a rapid rise in infections, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday reinstated an indoor mask mandate until the end of January and required government workers to get vaccinated, including a booster shot.
"I think we're all tired of it," Bowser told reporters. "I'm tired of it too, but we have to respond to what's happening in our city and what's happening in our nation."
In New York City, COVID-19 cases rose 60% in the week that ended on Sunday as the Omicron variant spread rapidly around the U.S. Northeast. New York has set records for the most new cases reported in a single day since the pandemic started for three consecutive days.
"It is a predictor of what the rest of the country will see soon, and the minimum - since NYC is highly vaccinated - of what other parts of the country will experience in under-vaccinated cities and states," said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
Many Broadway productions canceled performances as cast and crew have become infected. The popular "Hamilton" production on Monday extended cancellations until after Christmas due to breakthrough COVID19 infections.
Breakthrough infections are rising among the 61% of the country's fully vaccinated population, including the 30% who have gotten booster shots.
Omicron appears to be causing milder symptoms in vaccinated populations, and health experts remain optimistic this wave might not cause the same spikes in hospitalizations and deaths as previous surges.
Nonetheless, a man in his 50s from the eastern part of Harris County, Texas, who was not vaccinated died on Monday from an infection caused by the Omicron variant, County Judge Lina Hidalgo posted on Twitter. The county, where Houston is located, was also the site of the first recorded U.S. Omicron case, on Dec. 6.