PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Department of Health has confirmed its first case of the COVID-19 omicron variant in the state.
The case of the variant was found in a male in his 20’s in Minnehaha County.
The department of health says it is safe to assume other cases across the state may exist given the variant’s increased transmission.
“The best way to protect yourself from severe disease with this variant is to get vaccinated,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Joshua Clayton said in a news release. “We urge South Dakotans to monitor for symptoms and get tested as soon as they experience symptoms.”
According to a global science initiative that provides access to genomic data, South Dakota has processed about 1.7% of all its total COVID-19 cases for COVID-19 variants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Omicron has “potential for a rapid increase in infections.”
