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MIAMI – Omicron has overtaken the delta variant successful Miami-Dade County arsenic the ascendant strain of the coronavirus successful a substance of weeks, according to genomic surveillance data.

Genetic sequencing of the microorganism showed omicron grew from a tiny fraction of hundreds of samples taken the archetypal week of December to astir 3 of each 4 samples taken past week.

“It is perfectly astonishing however contagious this variant has proven to be,” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told the Miami Herald. The mayor's bureau provided the the genomic surveillance data.

The region contracts with NOMI Health to behaviour testing, vaccination and sequencing. The institution recovered that 76% of 504 COVID-19 samples taken Dec. 14-15 were the omicron variant. That compared to 64% of 378 samples collected Dec. 10-13, and 1.3% of the 373 samples collected Dec. 1-5, region records showed.

The variant is besides sweeping the nation, accounting for 73% of caller infections past week, national wellness officials said.

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The region is besides seeing a spike successful affirmative COVID-19 cases, which basal astatine 10% aft dropping to astir 1% a period ago, according to data.

Last week, Levine Cava reinstated an exigency bid requiring hospitals to supply regular furniture inventories and COVID-19 patients counts.

“And it’s connected america to support ourselves and inactive the astir important happening we tin bash is vaccinate.”

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