New York detects Omicron

World Today

A man takes a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test at a pop-up testing site in New York City, U.S., December 16, 2021. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

The World Health Organization says the Omicron variant is spreading faster than any other previous mutation of Sars-CoV-2.

Cases have been confirmed in more than 70 countries including the United States.

The variant currently accounts for roughly 3% of all new cases in the U.S. but in New York and New Jersey the percentage is much higher.