Health & Fitness
Omicron BA.2 Detected In McHenry County: Health Officials
The subvariant of COVID-19 was detected during random testing, health officials said.
MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — A resident has tested positive for omicron BA.2 in McHenry County, local health officials said.
The new subvariant is on the rise across the United States and was found through random testing, Lindsey Savatelli, spokeswoman for the McHenry County Department of Health, told the Northwest Herald. Not all positive cases are tested for the various variants, so it's unclear how prevalent it is in local communities.
According to recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 86 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. between April 3 and April are omicron BA.2.
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Health officials say they are continuing to monitor COVID-19 cases, with a continued focus on how new variants and subvariants will spread and how to protect those who are most at risk of becoming sick or dying.
Major lockdowns are not expected because of this recent surge but health officials are continuing residents to exercise caution and to receive their vaccine and booster shots.
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