Courtesy Image An illustration of the coronavirus provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ALPENA — As of Thursday, 1,371 Northeast Michiganders were actively infected with COVID-19 as a new variant of the sickness appeared in Michigan.

Health officials on Thursday reported the first appearance of the Omicron variant in a Kent County resident, the state’s first resident to test positive for the variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified as a variant of concern on Nov. 30.

The CDC classifies variants of concern as those showing evidence of being more contagious, causing more severe illness, or offering more resistance to diagnostics, treatments or vaccines than other versions of the sickness.

Health officials first detected the Omicron variant on Nov. 11 in South Africa and the first U.S. case on Dec. 1. The variant has appeared in 20 other states, according to state health officials.

According to the CDC, the Omicron variant will likely spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. Anyone with the Omicron infection can spread the virus to others, even if vaccinated or without symptoms, DHHS said, encouraging residents to vaccinate against the sickness to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

Meanwhile, about 56% of Northeast Michiganders 5 and older had been fully vaccinated against the disease.

This week’s active infections — a News estimate based on cumulative infections minus deaths and those who fit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of recovered — is up from 1,314 active infections last week.

Meanwhile, among those 5 and older, the state says 54.6% of Alpena County residents, 59.9% of Presque Isle County residents, 54.2% of Montmorency County residents, and 57.1% of Alcona County residents have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The chart below shows the number of Northeast Michiganders actively infected with COVID-19, a News estimate based on cumulative infections minus recoveries and deaths. The story continues below the graphic.

Public health experts have said we could consider the coronavirus pandemic over once 70% of the population has been vaccinated.

In the past week, public health officials have reported 529 newly infected or probably infected Northeast Michiganders and the deaths of 13 Northeast Michiganders who had been infected with COVID-19.

The chart below shows the number of Northeast Michiganders 5 and older fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The story continues below the graphic.

Since February, Northeast Michigan health officials have reported confirmed and probable infections as one number. A person counts as a probable infection if they’d been exposed to a confirmed infected person and are showing symptoms but hadn’t been tested, themselves — such as family members of infected people.

The chart below shows the number of COVID-19 patients admitted at MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena. The story continues below the graphic.

As of Thursday, 24 COVID-19 patients were admitted at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, four of them in intensive care. The hospital was 46% full. State officials watch hospital occupancy rates closely to decide whether to impose new restrictions meant to slow the spread of infection.

Since the pandemic’s start in mid-March 2020, public health officials have reported 8,865 Northeast Michiganders infected or probably infected, and 213 related deaths.