Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed the first case of the coronavirus omicron variant in the United States: an individual in California who had just returned from South Africa.
“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 said in a statement. “The individual was a traveler who returned from South Africa on November 22, 2021. The individual, who was fully vaccinated and had mild symptoms that are improving, is self-quarantining and has been since testing positive. All close contacts have been contacted and have tested negative.”