“The omicron variant is here, and as anticipated we are seeing the beginning of community spread,” state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a news release. The arrival of omicron comes as hospitals statewide continue to strain under a surge in coronavirus cases, most traced to the delta variant, along with staffing shortages. New York’s omicron cases so far appear to be unrelated, Hochul said. In Washington state, three cases of the omicron variant were confirmed Saturday — one each in Thurston, Pierce and King counties, state health officials said. Colorado detected the state’s second case of the omicron variant just a day after the state’s first confirmed case, officials said Friday.
