Steve Hughes reports in the Times Union that there are now 12 cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 in New York. Two of those cases were in Oneida County and two in Suffolk County. As the new variant gets closer to the upper Hudson Valley,, three hospitals in the Capital Region were on a list of 32 hospitals now mandated by the state to limit non-essential surgeries because of limited bed capacity. Albany Medical Center and its associated hospitals in Glens Falls and Saratoga will have to reduce non-essential surgeries for at least two weeks beginning Dec. 9. "We expect any potential changes would be minimal in impact and limited in duration," Albany Medical Center spokesperson Matt Markham said just before the list of hospitals reducing surgeries was announced. There are many exceptions to the limits on surgery including procedures addressing cancer, including diagnostic procedures of suspected cancer; neurosurgery; intractable pain; highly symptomatic patients; transplants; trauma; cardiac conditions with symptoms; limb-threatening vascular procedures; dialysis vascular access, and patients that are at a clinically high risk of harm if their procedures are not completed. Meanwhile, Columbia County announced 51 new COVID-19 cases Dec. 6. Greene County announced 84 new cases Dec. 6.