Omicron coronavirus variant confirmed in 18 Iowa residents

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The number of confirmed cases of the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus has increased to 18 in Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports that the variant has been detected in residents of Black Hawk, Jefferson, Johnson, Linn, Polk, Scott and Story counties. Iowa Department of Public Health spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand says residents “should expect that community spread of the omicron variant is occurring. She said that 13 of the 18 cases were confirmed Friday. They included infections in people who had not traveled recently.