New York Omicron cases rise to eight as official warns of community spread

Cases of latest Covid variant appear unrelated as state dispatches national guard to help beleaguered hospitals

New York announced three more cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the number of state cases linked to the new variant to eight.

The Omicron variant is here, and as anticipated we are seeing the beginning of community spread," the state health commissioner, Mary Bassett, said.