Benton County: New Cases: 21, Cumulative Cases: 6,332, Cumulative Deaths: 41
Oregon: New Cases: 903, Cumulative Cases: 401,564, Cumulative Deaths: 5,420
First Omicron Cases in Oregon
The state of Oregon has its first three cases of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. The cases are all found in Washington and Multnomah counties. All three cases are in people in their 20’s who tested in early December and were fully vaccinated.
The coming of this variant is not surprising as at least 25 states had already reported cases, including all of the states surrounding Oregon.
In a press release, Governor Kate Brown said, “As we continue to learn more about this new variant, we know the measures that are most effective in helping to keep ourselves and our families safe from Omicron, Delta, and other COVID-19 variants: get vaccinated, get your booster, and wear a mask. That’s the key to saving lives and keeping our businesses, schools, and communities open. If you aren’t yet vaccinated or need a booster dose, get an appointment or find a walk-in vaccine clinic in your area today.”
About Omicron
The Omicron variant was first classified as a variant of concern on November 30, with the first cases in the US being confirmed on December 1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention track the different variants using genomic surveillance as a means of tracking how easily a single variant of COVID can spread, how serious the disease will likely get, and if there is a vaccine available to protect an individual from catching the variant in question.
Omicron seems to spread more easily than the original COVID-19 virus – even to those who have been vaccinated, have had an additional booster, and who seem to not be sick.
Researchers are monitoring the variant to see if it will cause more severe symptoms, however to date, most patients have had mild symptoms. Also being researched is whether this variant will lead to reinfections.
The currently available vaccines and the recommended added boosters are still expected to protect individuals from severe illness, hospitalization, and death from Omicron.
Since Omicron is genetically different from the other COVID variants, some treatments may still be effective, however the more experience researchers have with the virus, the more they will know.
Where is Omicron of Concern?
Health authorities in Denmark and Norway have projected that the Omicron COVID variant will create a serious wave of cases in the coming days. Their worries are that, even if the variant causes only mild symptoms, their hospital systems will be under significantly greater pressure.
Scientists in the UK are studying the variant as the country faces another holiday season with severe COVID issues. They have found while Omicron partly evades immune system defenses, that vaccinations and previous COVID infections are helping people have lesser levels of illness.
COVID Treatment Risk
In treatment news, the new COVID pill from Merck which was narrowly authorized by the Food and Drug Administration expert committee – and has still to be approved for emergency use by the FDA – may pose risks for pregnant people. Scientists are concerned about how this drug will effect a fetus’s dividing cells, meaning that it may cause birth defects.
Dr. James Hildreth of Meharry Medical College in Tennessee said at the FDA committee meeting, “Do we want to reduce the risk for the mother by 30 percent while exposing the embryo and the fetus to a much higher risk of harm by this drug?” Adding that “there is no circumstance in which I would advise a pregnant woman to take this drug.”
By Sally K Lehman
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