With the fear of the new COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’ is increasing, all the nations across the world are taking steps to tighten the testing rules for travellers from overseas.
After countries like South Korea and Nigeria reported their first cases of the Omicron variant, now the United States has reported its first case due to the new deadly variant on Wednesday.
A person in California who had been vaccinated against Coronavirus became the first in the US to have an identified case of the Omicron variant, the White House announced Wednesday.
Dr Anthony Fauci said that the infected person was a traveller who returned from South Africa on November 22 and was found positive for the virus on November 29. He said the person was experiencing mild symptoms.
As per the officials, everyone who had close contact with the person tested negative for the virus. Meanwhile, the scientists in the country are continuing to study the risks posed by the new virus strain.
The new Omicron Covid-19 variant has been confirmed in 23 countries and their number is expected to rise, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.