CDC Reveals First Known Omicron Patient in US Had Symptoms Starting Much Earlier

People wearing masks are seen in St. Louis, Mo., in a file photograph. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday said the first known Omicron COVID-19 case in the United States was discovered in a person who traveled internationally and had symptoms starting Nov. 15.

The World Health Organization (WHO) named the variant on Nov. 26 as one “of concern.” Authorities in California reported what was thought to be the first U.S. case on Dec. 1 after an international traveler on Nov. 22 traveled from South Africa to San Francisco and developed symptoms.

“The earliest date of symptom onset was November 15 in a person with a history of international travel,” said the CDC in a revision of its timeline detailing Omicron’s spread in the United States.

No deaths have been associated with the Omicron variant anywhere in the world.

The CDC update said 22 states confirmed at least one Omicron case, and some of the cases indicate that community spread is currently underway. About 33 percent of those cases reported international travel during the 14 days before symptoms onset.

“Among these cases of COVID-19 attributed to the Omicron variant, 34 (79 percent) occurred in persons who completed the primary series of an FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine,” the agency said.

The agency further said that most of the first Omicron cases “appear to be mild,” which is consistent with previous statements made by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and other health officials.

“Aa lag exists between infection and more severe outcomes,” the CDC added, “and symptoms would be expected to be milder in vaccinated persons and those with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection than in unvaccinated person,” referring to another name for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

The World Health Organization said the Omicron variant appears to be more contagious than the Delta variant, although more data is needed before it can make a definitive conclusion.

Also Friday, South African scientists said they have seen no sign that the Omicron CCP virus variant is causing more severe illness. South Africa was one of the first countries in the world to report the variant.

“Preliminary data does suggest that while there is increasing rate of hospitalization ... it looks like it is purely because of the numbers rather than as a result of any severity of the variant itself, this Omicron,” Health Minister Joe Phaahla said in a news conference.

South Africa’s health agency reported more than 22,000 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, which is below a peak of over 26,000 daily CCP virus cases that were reported during a peak fueled by the Delta variant.