The first US case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant has been found in California, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
The infection was detected in San Francisco when a vaccinated traveler returned to the area after visiting South Africa on Nov. 22, the CDC said in a statement.
“The individual, who was fully vaccinated and had mild symptoms that are improving, is self-quarantining and has been since testing positive,” the statement read.
“The California and San Francisco Departments of Public Health have confirmed that a recent case of COVID-19 among an individual in California was caused by the Omicron variant.”
Asked at a press conference Wednesday if the traveler had received a booster shot, White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said, “To my knowledge, no.”
“The individual is self-quarantining, and all contacts have been contacted and all close contacts thus far, have tested negative,” Fauci said.
He added that the person tested positive on Nov. 29 and that their illness “is improving at this point.”
“We knew it was just a matter of time before the first case of Omicron would be detected in the United States,” Fauci added. “We know what we need to do to protect people: get vaccinated, if you’re not already vaccinated. Get boosted if you’ve been vaccinated for more than six months.”
The virus strain, labeled a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization last week, has a high number of mutations that suggest it may be more transmissible than the highly contagious Delta variant.
News of the first US case comes after the new COVID-19 variant has been found in at least 20 other countries.
It also follows the White House’s chief medical adviser predicting Tuesday that the global case tally for Omicron will “change rapidly” as it spreads around the globe.
The WHO has also said the global risk of the new variant is “very high,” and scientists don’t yet know if vaccinations reliably protect against the Omicron.
On Wednesday, Fauci also urged Americans to keep masking up in all indoor settings with unknown factors.
“In the situation with the holiday season, indoor-type setting with family that you know is vaccinated, you could feel safe not wearing a mask and having a dinner, having a reception,” he said.
“But when you are in a congregate setting, in which you do not know the status of the vaccination involved, it is very prudent to wear a mask, and that’s what I do.”
In response to the new form of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the US is moving to require that all air travelers entering the country show a negative COVID-19 test performed within one day of departure.
The CDC is also mandating that airlines turn over the names of passengers who have recently been in any of eight southern African countries where the Omicron variant is known to be spreading.
Earlier this week, President Joe Biden characterized the emergence of the variant as “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.” He’s also vowed not to “shock our allies” with new travel bans.
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