D.C. announced its first confirmed cases of the COVID-19 omicron variant Sunday after four people tested positive, according to D.C. Health.
Three women and one man who are all vaccinated contracted the variant in unrelated cases. Their close contacts have been notified, the department said.
Their current conditions and potential symptoms were not provided. One of the women had not received her booster shot although she was eligible. It’s not known whether the other three people had their booster.
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Two of the women traveled over the Thanksgiving holiday to Maryland and Virginia. The third woman had recently visited Florida and New York. The man had no recent travel history, D.C. Health said.
“DC Health wants to restate that everyone 5 and older should get vaccinated. Anyone 16 or older who has received their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna on or before June 12, 2021 or who has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on or before October 12, 2021 is encouraged to get a booster dose as soon as possible,” the department said.
The first known case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 in Virginia was detected just days earlier, on Dec. 9. Maryland announced its first case on Dec. 3.
The omicron variant was first detected in Botswana and South Africa in November. It may spread more easily than other variants, including delta, which causes almost all cases of the coronavirus in the U.S.
Currently, there is no evidence omicron causes more severe disease, but people who have previously had COVID-19 could be at greater risk for reinfection from omicron.
NBC Washington's Matthew Stabley contributed to this report.
