The Covid-19 omicron variant has already made its way across the globe.
Cases of the new variant, which the World Health Organization first announced on Friday, have appeared in more than 50 countries as of Dec. 9. First identified by South African scientists, omicron cases have been reported from Australia and Hong Kong to Canada. The first case in the United States was confirmed on Dec. 1.
Track the spread of the variant with the map below. The map was last updated Dec. 15, and will be updated periodically.
A WHO report released Sunday said the omicron variant contains a number of genetic mutations, and the organization said the variant has a high likelihood of global spread. But the organization said it’s still too early to determine whether omicron is more contagious, more deadly or more resistant to vaccines than previous Covid variants.
The United States, Japan, Israel and several countries have enacted international travel restrictions in response to the variant’s spread, though the WHO has cautioned against such bans.
