The nation has averaged more than 200,000 new cases per day, a 69% jump during the period, but Kentucky's new-case rate has dropped 39%, more than any other state.
Gov. Andy Beshear warned that omicron is spreading faster than anything we've ever seen and appears to be one of the most contagious viruses in modern history.
As more indoor venues require proof of vaccination and new variants loom, scientists and public health officials are debating when it will be time to change the definition of “fully vaccinated” to include a booster shot.
As of Saturday evening, the omicron variant had been detected in at least 15 different states. And while it's too early to say if the most recent variant of concern will be as dangerous as delta, preliminary evidence suggests it may spread faster and be more likely to reinfect individuals who previously contracted coronavirus.
The variant was confirmed by the California and San Francisco departments of public health in an individual who returned to the U.S. from South Africa on Nov. 22.
The omicron variant surfaced in November in several southern African nations. It set off alarm bells worldwide when public health officials in South Africa saw it beginning to outcompete the previous reigning variant, delta.
