The Rock County Public Health Department is watching the newest COVID-19 variant identified by the World Health Organization very closely.

Epidemiologist Nick Zupan says the Omicron variant is not present in the United States yet, although it is present in Canada and parts of Europe.

Zupan says it’s spreading rapidly in South Africa and affecting vaccinated people.

Zupan says at this point it’s considered a variant of concern, but the delta variant is what’s being seen almost exclusively in Wisconsin and Rock County.