As the academic year comes to an end, COVID cases are on the decline, U-M officials say.

Michigan health officials are encouraging residents to continue taking steps to prevent COVID-19 spread, as an omicron subvariant is expected to trigger a rise in cases.

Do you ever wonder how they know WHICH variant of COVID-19 is spreading and where? Well, if there IS a new strain of the Coronavirus spreading in Michigan, the State Lab in Lansing will likely be the first place to spot it.

Coronavirus cases appear to be stabilizing in Michigan, but in other parts of the world, they are increasing.

Beaumont Health official Dr. Nicholas Gilpin held a news briefing on Thursday to mark the second anniversary of COVID in Michigan, how it has affected health care workers and the industry, and what to expect as we move forward.

This week on Flashpoint, the state of Michigan’s chief medical officer Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian discussed the COVID-19 pandemic in our state -- have we seen the worst of it or is it yet to come?

The majority of public schools in Ann Arbor will resume in-person instruction next week.

U-M students will return to in-person instruction on Wednesday.

Students in Ann Arbor Public Schools will start the first week of January learning from home as COVID cases surge locally.

The Washtenaw County Health Department is urging residents to get vaccinated, avoid large gatherings and isolate from others if sick.

With so many people becoming infected with COVID-19 right now, ClickOnDetroit readers and WDIV Local 4 viewers are asking when is the best time to get vaccinated after you have recovered?

Omicron variant detected in school community.

Dr. Jim Baker, University of Michigan doctor, immunologist and founder of the allergy clinic, joins Flashpoint host Devin Scillian to discuss problems facing the state's fight against COVID.

Michigan was already struggling with its fourth surge of the coronavirus before word came that yet another variant, now called omicron, has mutated its way into circulation.

Doctors and nurses fear the new omicron variant of the coronavirus could make things even worse at Michigan’s hospitals.

Watch live coverage as President Biden delivers remarks on the Omicron variant of COVID-19 after meeting with his response team.

This is happening just before a travel ban goes into effect for multiple parts of Africa.

Israel's prime minister says the country is “on the threshold of an emergency situation” after authorities detected its first case of a new coronavirus variant in a traveler who returned from Malawi.

Watch live coverage as President Joe Biden delivers remarks Thursday evening on the COVID-19 delta variant and boosting vaccinations.

READ: 3 new cases of COVID-19 B117 variant found in St. Clair County -- here are the detailsAccording to the CDC, the largest number of variant cases have been detected in Michigan and Florida. According to the MDHHS, the greatest numbers of the U.K. variant B117 have been found in the more densely populated areas. More than half the B117 variants identified were from an outbreak within the Michigan Department of Corrections. AdThe B117 variant has been found in 31 Michigan counties, it’s safe to assume that it’s widespread in the community. READ: Michigan COVID-19 vaccinations: How to find appointments, info on phasesRead moreQuestions about coronavirus?

ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Mich. – Three new cases of the more contagious COVID-19 B117 variant have been identified in St. Clair County. St. Clair County health officials said their county’s first case of B117 was identified in February. The woman in her 40s was a close contact of the woman in her 60s, according to St. Clair County health officials. It’s passed more easily between people, but there’s no indication that it causes more severe cases of COVID-19, experts said. Ad“We are doubling down with variant case investigations,” said Dr. Annette Mercatante, medical health officer of the St. Clair County Health Department.

HOWELL, Mich. – A case of a more contagious variant of the coronavirus has been identified in Michigan’s Livingston County for the first time, officials report Saturday. The Livingston County Health Department on Saturday announced that a resident has tested positive for the COVID-19 variant known as B117, which experts say is 50 percent more transmissible than the dominant virus strain in the U.S. The health department identified two potential COVID exposure sites related to the variant case. “The possibility of additional spread of the variant is a concern,” said Juan Marquez, Medical Director at the Livingston County Health Department. More: ‘Undetected spread in community’: COVID variant cases in Michigan rise by more than 100

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan has confirmed 157 cases of the more contagious COVID-19 B117 variant across 12 counties in the state, officials said. “This means isolation, quarantine and frequent testing whenever we identify outbreaks associated with the variant.”The B117 variant was first identified in the United Kingdom. A person connected to the University of Michigan athletic department tested positive for the B117 variant after traveling to the UK. But since then, Michigan has confirmed cases in many other counties, Khaldun said. AdOn Tuesday, officials announced 90 cases of that variant have been identified at the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia.

LANSING, Mich. – Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said there are two confirmed cases of the COVID-19 B117 variant in the city. The variant, which was originally discovered in the United Kingdom, is known to spread more easily than the previous strand of COVID-19. Gretchen Whitmer said the state has confirmed a total of 45 cases of the B117 variant across 10 different counties. Whitmer’s COVID briefing on Tuesday“While our numbers continue to trend overall in the right direction, I’m very concerned about what we are seeing with the new B117 variant,” Khaldun said. All three of those metrics are improving, but the spread of the COVID-19 variant puts that progress in jeopardy.

University of Michigan asked students to test for COVID-19 before going home for the holidays. ANN ARBOR – In its bi-weekly COVID update on Tuesday, University of Michigan officials announced that COVID cases within the school community now represent 48% of the total cases in Washtenaw County. On Feb. 2, U-M cases accounted for 34% of all COVID cases in Washtenaw County. While COVID cases in the school community are trending downward, they are still elevated, according the announcement. As of the week beginning Feb. 7, U-M reported a total of 54 positive COVID cases as opposed to the week prior, when 282 positive cases were confirmed.

ANN ARBOR – The Washtenaw County Health Department announced on Friday that a total of 23 cases of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 have been identified to date in Washtenaw County, and all of the cases share a common link: they are associated with the University of Michigan community. AdUniversity officials announced this week that U-M cases currently account for one-third of all coronavirus cases in Washtenaw County. Since the variant was identified in the area, the Health Department and local partners have been testing residents at no cost. “We remain concerned about the identification of the B.1.1.7 variant locally,” Juan Luis Marquez, medical director with Washtenaw County Health Department said in a statement. AdThe Washtenaw County Health Department recommends that all residents practice the following strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the B.1.1.7 variant:

The answer is that there is a huge number of variants, but internationally we are primarily focused on only three right now. Within the US we are also concerned about and more closely following a variant that has been described in California. Details: Everything we know about virus variants in Michigan, USFinally, a viewer wants to know how similar the United Kingdom variant is to the South African variant. The answer is that some of the mutations that make up the South African variant are also found in the United Kingdom variant, but there are some significant differences, enough so that the South African variant really deserves its own discussion. Read: Virus variant from South Africa detected in US for 1st timeAdThe coronavirus pandemic is impacting our health in more ways than one.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is emphasizing the importance of COVID-19 testing after an outbreak on the University of Michigan campus. READ: Michigan Athletics put on pause -- Athletes, coaches, team-staff asked to quarantineFive cases of the highly-contagious variant B.1.1.7 are linked to the university’s athletics department. Some students at the University aren’t too thrilled at the fact that sports have been suspended due to the new variant of coronavirus. Washtenaw County Health Department Medical Director Juan Luis Marquez said the suspension is necessary to make sure no one else is being placed at risk since the new variant is easier to spread from person-to-person. “Hopefully we just stay safe and kids get vaccinated and then later in February, we’ll be able to resume as normal.”Related: Michigan health officials concerned over COVID variantsResidents can find COVID-19 test sites in their communities on Michigan’s official website..

The university said several people linked to the Athletic Department have tested positive for the highly-contagious strain of the virus. A Wayne County man tested positive for the variant and a total of five people tested positive in Washtenaw County. The University of Michigan confirmed to Local 4 the school issued a two week pause for all University of Michigan Athletics. COVID-19 TestingWashtenaw County Health Department is working with the Michigan Department of Health and local partners to provide additional, no-cost COVID-19 testing opportunities. More: Michigan health officials concerned over COVID variants

The Washtenaw County Health Department announced Saturday, Jan. 23 that a total of five cases of the virus variant, also known as B117, have been identified in county residents. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) also identified one case of the virus variant in a Wayne County man. The Washtenaw County Health Department is warning residents of potential exposure sites, where patrons may have came into contact with the virus variant. A total of 5 cases of the variant have been identified and additional sequencing continues for other possible cases already positive for COVID-19. The virus variant has reportedly made its way to at least 20 states in the country so far.

Jan. 23, 2021: Michigan coronavirus cases up to 548,069; Death toll now at 14,291Health officials identified a confirmed variant case in a Wayne County man Saturday. All Michigan Athletic team members -- student athletes, coaches and team staff -- have been asked to immediately isolate or quarantine until further notice. MORE: Tracking COVID-19 weekly growth factor by Michigan county“The new variant is present in Michigan and we are at risk of seeing more spread of COVID-19. It is possible that there are more B.1.1.7 cases in Michigan that have not been identified. Related: UK chief scientist says new virus variant may be more deadly

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a coronavirus press conference at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday Jan. 22, 2021. But Vallance stressed that “the evidence is not yet strong" and more research is needed. In contrast to that uncertainty, he said, there is growing confidence that the variant is more easily passed on than the original coronavirus strain. Many countries have closed their borders to travelers from Britain, and the U.K. has halted flights from Brazil and South Africa. The U.K. is currently in a lockdown in an attempt to slow the latest surge of the coronavirus outbreak.

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan officials have identified the state’s first case of a new coronavirus variant, believed to be more contagious, in an infected individual living in Washtenaw County. Officials with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Saturday, Jan. 16 that an adult female living in Washtenaw County has contracted a new COVID-19 variant, known as B.1.1.7. Officials say she recently traveled to the United Kingdom, where the variant was first identified and has recently sent part of that country into a strict lockdown to help curb virus spread. According to authorities, two additional positive COVID cases have been identified among close contacts with the Washtenaw County woman, but it is unclear if those two individuals are also infected with the virus variant. Officials say the variant has now been identified in at least 16 other states as of Jan. 16.