US records first case of Omicron variant

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The United States has recorded its first case of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus on Wednesday.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified confirmed the case in California, according to President Biden’s Chief Medical Adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Dr Fauci stated that the patient travelled from South Africa to San Francisco, California.

He added that the patient, though experiencing only “mild symptoms”, was fully vaccinated.

He said, “The individual was a traveller who returned from South Africa on November 22 and tested positive on November 29. The individual is self-quarantining and all close contacts have been contacted and all close contacts, thus far, have tested negative.

“The individual was fully vaccinated and experienced mild symptoms, which are improving at this point. So this is the first confirmed case of Covid-19 caused by the Omicron variant detected in the United States.”

Copyright PUNCH.

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