The United States has confirmed its first case of the COVID variant Omicron, which was identified in California.

The infectious disease expert and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration's chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said that the COVID variant was detected in a traveler who had come back from South Africa on November 22, according to The Guardian report. Fauci said that they knew it was coming just a matter of time before the first case of Omicron would be detected in the United States.

The traveler was fully vaccinated but had not received a booster shot. He tested positive on Monday and noted mild symptoms that are improving. The patient is still in quarantine, while the individual's close contacts have been reached and have tested negative.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had done the identification of the first case of the variant in the country. Charles Chiu, professor of laboratory medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, said that they are able to confirm the detection of Omicron within five hours.

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COVID Variant Omicron

The CDC ordered airlines to start handing over contact information for travelers from eight countries in Southern Africa, according to a CBS News report.

Fauci said that they are preparing for the possibility that the people might need a variant-specific boost.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who is a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, also a member of Pfizer's board, expressed his confidence in the vaccines.

Biden said that the administration would fight the Omicron variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion.

Fauci also called on unvaccinated Americans to get their doses immediately. Available vaccines may still offer substantial protection against severe illness and death after infection with the variant.

Federal health officials are calling on vaccinated people to get booster shots, according to The New York Times report.

The World Health Organization classified it as a variant of concern and noted that the risk posed by the variant is very high.

More than 20 countries have found the Omicron variant so far.

The COVID variant carries more than 50 genetic mutations. This would theoretically mean that it could be more contagious and even evade immunity.

Meanwhile, the number of cases reported in South Africa doubled from Tuesday to Wednesday, according to a Reuters report.

WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said that data on how contagious Omicron should be available "within days."

Omicron Variant in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the traveler was not hospitalized. However, Newsom said that the state of California will not be intensifying public health restrictions, at least in the short term.

Newsom added that people should assume that it's in other states as well. The governor said that there is no reason to panic, but people should remain vigilant.

San Francisco health director Dr. Grant Colfax said that they are still learning about the COVID variant. Colfax reassured that despite that, they are not back to square one with this disease.

Some 79 percent of residents in California have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. In addition, COVID cases and hospitalizations have largely been trending downward.

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Written by Mary Webber

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