More NYC Omicron Cases Likely In Coming Weeks, Mayor Says

NEW YORK CITY — A trickle of omicron coronavirus variant cases in New York City is likely soon to turn into a torrent, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

“I think it’s too early to say we’ve seen any clusters, but I think we’re going to see more and more cases very quickly over the coming weeks,” he said Wednesday.

Eight omicron cases so far have been confirmed in the city since the variant was first detected in the five boroughs last week, health Commissioner Dave Chokshi said.

Those cases prompted de Blasio — and officials across the country — to start amping up measures to combat the variant, which shows signs of being highly transmissible.

This week, de Blasio went farther than any other city in the country and announced a strict coronavirus vaccination mandate for all private employers.

The measure and tightened rules for unvaccinated people in indoor spaces will not only help fight against omicron, but also the delta variant that is spiking across the city, de Blasio said.

Chokshi said the known omicron cases are consistent with community transmission.

"We are not seeing any significant clusters at this moment, and what that means is that known Omicron cases are not linked to any one individual or event, but consistent with community transmission," he said.

"Moving forward, we do have strong surveillace systems in place, both in terms of our sequencing, as well as for COVID-19," he said. "Overall, we'll rely on those to continue characterizing the variant as it emerges, but our public health advice is clear and consistent — which is get vaccinated, get boosted, get tested, continue to wear your mask and stay home if you are sick."