Live updates: Colorado confirms case of omicron variant

DENVER -- Colorado became the third U.S. state to detect a case of the omicron variant in a woman who had recently traveled to Africa, state health officials announced Thursday.

The Colorado case comes after two other confirmed omicron variant cases were found in California and Minnesota.

Officials in Colorado detected the new case in a woman who is a resident of Arapahoe County, an area just east of Denver. She recently traveled to Africa as a tourist, the state health department said in a statement.

The woman is fully vaccinated, but had not received her booster shot yet, they said.

She is experiencing mild symptoms, health officials said. The woman’s close contacts in Colorado have tested negative, they said.

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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC:

— The vaccination gap between rich and poor countries is expected to widen

— Omicron and delta spell return of unpopular restrictions

— What's the status of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the US?

— Japan retracts new flight bookings ban after criticisms

— Biden launching new winter COVID-19 booster, testing campaign

Go to https://APNews.com/coronavirus-pandemic for updates throughout the day.

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY:

TORONTO — Those who are 50 years of age or older will be eligible for a booster COVID-19 shot as of Monday in Canada’s largest province of Ontario.

Ontario Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore says thus far five Omicron variant cases have bee identified in Ontario and additional cases are expected soon.

Moore says over 20% of those over 70 have received a booster shot. He says if the capacity is not being used...