omicron minnesota

Suburban Cook County will join Chicago in requiring proof of vaccination for indoor public spaces like bars, restaurants and gyms in the new year, Dr. Rachel Rubin, Co-Lead and Senior Medical Officer for the Cook County Department of Public Health announced Thursday.

Suburban Cook County will join Chicago in requiring proof of vaccination for indoor public spaces like bars, restaurants and gyms in the new year, officials announced Thursday.

Cook County officials are set to discuss COVID mitigation measures Thursday nearly one week after encouraging heightened measures across the county due to a rise in suspected omicron cases.

Much of the U.S. is currently battling a surge in COVID cases spurred by the extra-contagious delta variant, but the new and even more contagious omicron variant could soon take over as the dominant strain in the country in the coming weeks, health experts say.

As Illinois hospitals face another surge in COVID patients, and with the threat of the omicron variant looming, burned-out health care workers are pleading with the public to take reasonable precautions as the holiday season ramps up. NBC 5’s Lexi Sutter has the story.

Cook County health officials warned Friday that “suspected cases of the omicron variant are rising… and are likely to escalate quickly,” prompting them to issue new mitigation recommendations in Chicago’s suburbs.

Cook County health officials warned Friday that “suspected cases of the omicron variant are rising… and are likely to escalate quickly,” prompting them to issue new mitigation recommendations in Chicago’s suburbs.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Tuesday there is increased confidence that omicron “is likely to spread quickly” and even faster than the delta variant, which is behind the latest surge in the U.S., but how severe are those cases becoming?

While plenty remains to be seen about the new omicron variant and how it will affect the coronavirus pandemic, early studies are showing signs of how current COVID vaccines and booster shots perform against the strain.

Experts had been saying that more information on the omicron variant was expected in the weeks following its detection.

The first confirmed omicron variant case in suburban Cook County has been reported, health officials announced Wednesday.

The first confirmed omicron variant case in suburban Cook County has been reported, health officials announced Wednesday.

The first confirmed omicron variant case in suburban Cook County has been reported, health officials announced Wednesday.

After about a month since the omicron COVID-19 variant was detected in South Africa and two weeks since first recorded in the U.S., scientists and health officials have been working to combat the mutated virus with new information.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady on Tuesday gave a breakdown on which COVID-19 variant is currently leading the surge in the Midwest. While 99.9% of the COVID cases are of delta variant as of now, she predicted that the omicron variant will soon spread quickly based on the studies from other countries.

Chicago health officials announced the city’s first confirmed case of the omicron variant Tuesday, so what could that mean for residents and what could happen next?

Health officials in Illinois reported the state’s first case of the omicron variant in a Chicago resident Tuesday.

Illinois’ first confirmed case of the omicron variant was announced Tuesday after being identified in a Chicago resident.

Illinois has detected the state’ first case of the omicron COVID-19 variant in a Chicago resident, health officials announced Tuesday. So, what do we know about the Illinois case and why are experts concerned?

Health officials in Illinois reported the state’s first case of the omicron variant in a Chicago resident Tuesday.