WASHTENAW COUNTY (WWJ) -- The omicron variant of COVID-19 has hit southeast Michigan with the Washtenaw County Health Department reporting its first case on Thursday.
According to officials, the person tested positive last week and is currently in isolation.
Health officials are working to see if anyone the person came into contact with have become ill.
This is the fourth case of the omicron variant reported in Michigan. There were two cases reported in Genesee County on Wednesday and the first case in the state was reported last week in Kent County.
The omicron variant was classified as a “variant of concern” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Nov. 30.
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A “variant of concern” is one that shows evidence of being more contagious, causing more severe illness, or resistance to diagnostics, treatments or vaccines.
The omicron variant was first detected on Nov. 11 in South Africa and the first case was confirmed in the United States on Dec. 1.
Health experts said the variant will likely spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus that took hold of the U.S. in March 2020.
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