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UArizona: 7 omicron cases detected on campus

Variant spreads to UArizona campus
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Posted at 10:26 AM, Dec 21, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-21 13:41:46-05

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Seven cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 have surfaced at UArizona.

According to the university, researchers used genomic testing at the UArizona Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology to identify the cases at 3:30 a.m. today.

The tests came from a saline gargle gPCR test.

The first case in Pima County was discovered Dec. 16.

Omicron is spreading rapidly overseas and in other parts of the country. Pima County Health Director Theresa Cullen estimated that it could be twice as contagious—or more—than the Delta variant.

UArizona is conducting contact tracing and contacting those who came into contact with those who tested positive.