LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State health officials say the highly contagious variant of COVID-19 first found in South Africa, known as B.1.351, has now been found in Nebraska. 

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services say in a news release Friday that the first case of the variant was recently confirmed in a Lancaster County resident. 

News of the discovery of the variant comes as the agency says about 524,000, or just over 35% of Nebraskans, have been fully vaccinated. 

Everyone 16 and older in Nebraska is now eligible to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — State health officials say the highly contagious variant of COVID-19 first found in South Africa, known as B.1.351, has now been found in Nebraska. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services say in a news release Friday that the first case of the variant was recently confirmed in a Lancaster County resident. News of the discovery of the variant comes as the agency says about 524,000, or just over 35% of Nebraskans, have been fully vaccinated. Everyone 16 and older in Nebraska is now eligible to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

South African variant of COVID-19 found in Nebraska