ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The omicron coranovirus variant has been detected in preliminary tests in Orange County wastewater, Orange County officials said Monday.
A preliminary test for the Omicron variant has been developed for wastewater ... initial results indicate that the Omicron variant has been detected in Orange County in the SW Reclamation Facility and the NW Reclamation Facility.
— Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) December 13, 2021
Full statement: https://t.co/nlCSe3dG1m pic.twitter.com/U7JrKD4TpM
A preliminary test for the omicron variant that was developed for wastewater is in beta-testing until it can be validated by the lab that analyzes the samples.
Initial results indicate that the omicron variant has been detected in Orange County in the South Water Reclamation Facility and the Northwest Water Reclamation Facility, officials said.
Officials are expecting more definitive results on Wednesday. Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings will hold an Orange County coronavirus update with Dr. Raul Pino on Wednesday afternoon.
Demings and Pino, of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, said they urge everyone 5 years of age and older to get a COVID-19 vaccination to try to protect themselves.
On Saturday, officials with the city of Altamonte Springs reported detecting the omicron variant in its wastewater.