Coronavirus in Chicago: First Omicron case detected in fully vaccinated city resident

The Illinois Department of Public Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health announced Illinois’ first known Omicron case Tuesday night.

The person is a Chicago resident, who came in contact with someone from another state who tested positive for the Omicron variant. 

The resident is fully vaccinated with a booster dose. They did not require hospitalization and have been self-isolating since their symptoms began, public health officials said. 

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"The City and CDPH continue to closely monitor the Omicron variant and work with medical experts to better inform our residents," said Mayor Lori Lightfoot. "To meet the urgency of this moment, it’s crucial that our residents continue to get vaccinated and receive their booster shot. We are committed to distributing the vaccine as widely and equitably as we can across our city through community-based clinics, City-run clinics, and our recently expanded Protect Chicago At Home program." 

The person with the first case of Omicron did not have to be hospitalized, is isolating and being monitored by doctors, according to Chicago Health Department officials.

The variant has been found in 27 countries worldwide.

Stefan Green is the co-director of RIPHL; director, Genomics and Microbiome Core Facility, Rush University Medical Center.

He said researchers need more time to determine if Omicron will overtake Delta as the dominant variant. 

Delta has been the cause of increased hospitalizations, illnesses and death in Illinois. 

Doctor Jeffrey Kopin, of Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital urged the public to get the vaccines and the booster, to protect from problems caused by COVID-19.

South African authorities were the first to report the Omicron variant on Nov. 24.

The first case in the U.S. was reported on Dec. 1.