The U.S. recorded its first confirmed case of the omicron variant Wednesday — an individual in California who had been to South Africa — as scientists all over the world raced to ascertain whether or not the brand new, mutant model of the coronavirus is extra harmful than earlier ones.
Watch the briefing within the participant above.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US’ high infectious illness knowledgeable, made the announcement on the White Home.
“We knew it was only a matter of time earlier than the primary case of omicron could be detected in the US,” he mentioned.
The contaminated particular person was recognized as a traveler who had returned from South Africa on Nov. 22. The particular person, who was absolutely vaccinated however had not had a booster shot, examined optimistic on Monday and had delicate signs which can be bettering, officers mentioned. The particular person agreed to stay in quarantine, and all the person’s shut contacts have been reached and have examined damaging.
No less than 23 different international locations have reported omicron infections, in line with the World Well being Group, and governments have rushed to impose journey bans and different restrictions in hopes of containing it.
However the variant continues to be surrounded by many unknowns, amongst them: Is it extra contagious than different variations, as some scientists are starting to suspect? Does it make individuals extra critically in poor health? And might it evade the vaccine?
“Any declaration of what’s going to or is not going to occur with this variant, I believe it’s too early to say,” Fauci mentioned.
He mentioned People ought to proceed to comply with public well being recommendation to get vaccinated and get their booster pictures. “In case you have a look at the issues we’ve got been recommending, they’re simply the identical,” Fauci mentioned.
Genomic sequencing on the affected person’s virus was performed on the College of California, San Francisco, and the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention confirmed it as per the omicron variant.
“We’ll doubtless see this state of affairs play out a number of occasions throughout the nation within the coming days or perhaps weeks,” mentioned Scott Becker, CEO of the Affiliation of Public Well being Laboratories.
READ MORE: First U.S. case of COVID-19 omicron variant recognized in California
“This explicit case reveals the system working because it was designed to work — a person with journey historical past from South Africa, an astute laboratory and fast prioritization of the specimen for sequencing, and shut coordination with public well being officers.”
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia additionally reported omicron infections Wednesday, marking the primary identified circumstances in West Africa and the Persian Gulf area.
South African first researchers alerted the WHO to omicron final week. It isn’t identified the place or when the variant first emerged, although it’s clear it was circulating in Europe a number of days earlier than that alert.
European Union Fee President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned it’ll take two to a few weeks earlier than it turns into absolutely clear what omicron can do to the world.
“That is, in regular occasions, a brief interval. In pandemic occasions, it’s an eternity,” she lamented.
On the similar time the omicron is spreading new concern and uncertainty, the dominant delta variant continues to be creating havoc, particularly in Europe, the place many international locations are coping with a surge in infections and hospitalizations and a few are contemplating making vaccinations obligatory.
Many international locations have barred vacationers from southern Africa, and a few have gone additional. Japan has banned international guests and requested worldwide airways to cease taking new reservations for all flights arriving within the nation till the tip of December.
The U.S. is working towards requiring that each one air vacationers to the nation be examined for COVID-19 inside a day earlier than boarding their flights, up from the present three days.
On Wednesday, the WHO warned that blanket journey bans are complicating the sharing of lab samples from South Africa that would assist scientists perceive the brand new variant.
World leaders continued to emphasise that the easiest way to comprise the pandemic stays vaccinations.
For the primary time, von der Leyen mentioned EU nations ought to contemplate making vaccinations obligatory, as a number of have achieved for sure sectors, or as Austria has achieved total. Altogether, 67% of the EU’s inhabitants is vaccinated, however that comparatively excessive fee hasn’t stopped a number of international locations from seeing surges.
Greece plans to impose fines of 100 euros ($113) per thirty days on individuals over 60 who don’t get vaccinated. Slovakia is contemplating giving that age group 500 euros ($565) in the event that they step ahead for the shot. German Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz, in the meantime, mentioned he’ll again a proposal to mandate vaccinations for everyone.
Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo. AP journalists from all over the world contributed to this report.
