First Death From Omicron Variant Recorded in the U.S. as Strain Becomes Dominant

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus has become dominant in the U.S., accounting for nearly three-quarters of cases reported over the past week. This was reported by the CDC, the medical regulator, according to Armenpress.

Omicron, which was first identified in the U.S. on December 1, made up 73.2% of all confirmed cases during the week ending December 18, whereas a week earlier it accounted for only 12% of cases, with the remaining infections attributed to the Delta variant.

For the first time in the U.S., a death has been reported involving a person infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, ABC News cited the Texas health department. "Officials in Harris County confirmed that the deceased was a man over 50 years old who was unvaccinated and had serious health issues," the publication stated.

The new variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.529, was identified in mid-November in Botswana and South Africa. Experts believe that it could pose a threat due to its rapid transmission compared to other variants discovered during the pandemic, and it possesses a significant number of mutations.

Several changes in the spike protein could potentially hinder the neutralization of the virus by antibodies, which may affect the effectiveness of vaccines, according to RIA Novosti.