The Louisiana Department of Health announced that it is monitoring a likely case of the omicron variant, the latest strand of COVID-19, in Louisiana. The case has been traced to an individual residing in the Greater New Orleans area. 

The announcement comes on the heels of a press conference held earlier on Dec. 3 in which Governor John Bel Edwards announced that no case of the omicron variant had yet been detected. While advising the public not to panic, the governor did stress the importance of getting vaccinated to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As Louisiana gears up to fight this emerging variant, less than 50% of its residents are vaccinated. The New Orleans area, however, boasts a far higher vaccination rate, one that is approaching  80%.