New York: The United States has identified the country's first confirmed case of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in California, Health authorities confirmed.

The individual is self-quarantining and has since tested positive despite being fully vaccinated and having moderate symptoms that are improving. According to the CDC, all close contacts have been contacted and have tested negative.

The genomic sequencing was conducted at the University of California, San Francisco and the sequence was confirmed at CDC as being consistent with the Omicron variant, which was first detected in S. Africa in November, the official said. The individual, who was fully vaccinated and had mild symptoms that are improving, is self-quarantining and has since tested positive. All close contacts have been contacted and have tested negative, according to the CDC.

Last week, South Africa reported the variant to the World Health Organization, which classified Omicron as a "variant of concern." The Obama administration retaliated by imposing foreign travel restrictions on eight countries in southern Africa.

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