First U.S. Case of Omicron Variant Confirmed in California

The first case of the Omicron COVID variant in the U.S. has emerged in California, the CDC announced Wednesday.

“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 (B.1.1.529),” the CDC wrote in a statement.

During a White House press briefing Wednesday, Dr. Fauci said the case was detected in an individual who traveled from South Africa on November 22 and tested positive for the virus on November 29.

Fauci added that the individual is self-quarantining to prevent further transmission and close contacts have not contracted the variant so far. He said that the person was fully vaccinated and has “mild symptoms, which are improving at this point.”