A highly infectious coronavirus variant originally discovered in Britain has been detected in California, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday, a day after the first known U.S. case was reported in the state of Colorado.

Newsom revealed the news in an online conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, without giving further details on the person who's infected.

Fauci said he was "not surprised," adding that additional cases of the variant would likely surface in California and other states.

"I don't think Californians should think that this is odd. It's to be expected," Fauci said.