Omicron variant accounts for 73% of cases in US

ANKARA

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that omicron has become the dominant variant of coronavirus, accounting for 73% of cases in the country.

In a statement, the CDC said the rate of omicron in sequenced cases had increased six times in just one week.

In the New York area, the Southeast, the industrial Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, the new variant is responsible for 90% of new infections.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a tweet: "National genomic surveillance estimates Omicron accounts for around 73% of COVID19 cases. This sharp rise is similar to what has been seen in other countries."

"CDC continues to closely monitor Omicron and respond to this surge," she added.