On Wednesday, just days after state officials had said they were closely monitoring the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, the first confirmed case of the variant to appear in the United States was found in California.
The California Department of Public Health said it and the San Francisco Department of Public Health have confirmed the case.
The University of California, San Francisco identified the case through its sequencing capabilities.
Now, the state of California is increasing COVID-19 testing at airports for arrivals from countries identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in order to detect and prevent the spread of the new variant.
On Monday, State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health Dr. Tomás J. Aragón reported on the efforts to monitor B.1.1.529, or Omicron, which the World Health Organization has labeled a “variant of concern.”
California has established a public-private partnership through the California SARS-CoV-2 Whole Genome Sequencing Initiative called COVIDNet to provide the state with genomic sequencing to help understand and control the spread of COVID-19.
Health officials are using that surveillance system to monitor the variant’s presence and progress through the state.
CDPH said the state is doubling down on “vaccination and booster efforts to ensure that all Californians have access to safe, effective, and free vaccines that can prevent serious illness and death.”
Members of the public are urged to get vaccinated and boosted, wear masks in indoor settings, get tested if they have symptoms and stay home if they are sick.
Travelers who have been in South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia or Zimbabwe within the last 14 days must follow CDC recommendations to get tested three to five days after arrival, quarantine for seven days even if testing negative and isolate for 10 days if COVID-19 symptoms develop.
First U.S. COVID-19 Omicron variant case confirmed in California
- LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
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