(CNN) -
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified the first confirmed case of the omicron coronavirus variant in the United States, in California, according to a family source.
The World Health Organization designates omicron as a "variant of concern."
In a technical report released this week, the WHO noted that the variant poses a "very high" global risk.
The variant was first identified by scientists in South Africa and has since been detected in several countries.
Scientists are working to determine how communicable the variant is, how sick it makes people sick, and how well current vaccines against it work.
Until more information on the variant is obtained, the United States restricted travel from South Africa and seven other countries.
On Monday, President Joe Biden called the variance "a cause for concern, not a cause for panic," and said: "We will have to face this new threat just as we face those who have preceded it."
Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive a booster dose if they are eligible.
Other measures such as masks, hand washing, physical distancing and ventilation will continue to work against the omicron variant.
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The delta variant of the coronavirus remains the dominant variant globally and in the United States.
omicron
