December 1, 2021 – The first case of Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the United States was confirmed by officials today in a man in California who recently traveled to South Africa. He or she was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and had only “mild symptoms that are improving,” CDC officials said.
The patient, who was not named in the CDC’s announcement of the first U.S. case of Omicron on Wednesday, is isolating himself.
“All close contacts have been connected and the test is negative,” officials said.
The announcement comes as no surprise to many, as the Omicron variant, first identified in South Africa, has been announced in countries around the world in recent days. Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Germany have announced this option, as have Italy and the Netherlands. Over the weekend, the first cases of North America were identified in Canada.
Anthony Fauci, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, announced over the weekend that this latest option is likely already in the United States, he told ABC This week his appearance here was “inevitable.”
Like previous versions, this new strain probably began circulating in the United States before scientists could perform genetic tests to confirm its presence.
The World Health Organization called Omicron a “worry option” on Friday, although much remains unknown about how well it spreads, how severe it can be and how it can withstand vaccines. Meanwhile, the United States has imposed travel bans from many South African countries.
It remains to be seen whether Omicron will follow the Delta variant, which was first identified in the United States in May and became the dominant strain by July. It is also possible to follow the path taken by the Mu variant. Mu appeared in March and April for many worries, only to disappear by September because he was unable to compete with the Delta variant.