THE feared Omicron COVID-19 strain has arrived in Victoria.

Genomic sequencing has determined an international traveller returning from the Netherlands, via Abu Dhabi, on December 3, is infected with the highly transmissible strain.

The traveller is currently isolating in a Melbourne quarantine facility and was fully vaccinated before testing positive on December 6.

Other passengers have been contacted to make sure they have been tested for the virus.

There are concerns the virus has already spread throughout the community in unrelated cases.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has engaged an independent group of experts known as the Technical Advisory Group (TAG-VE) to monitor and evaluate the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and to assess if specific mutations have altered the behaviour of the virus.

The TAG-VE was convened on November 26, 2021 to assess the new SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529, otherwise known as Omicron.

Since then, infections have increased steeply, first in South Africa, but then other countries quickly began to report the spread of the new variant.

Overseas arrivals to Victoria are required to quarantine for 72 hours upon arrival and undergo PCR testing within 24 hours. They are also required to be tested again between five to seven days after arrival.

Currently, over 90 per cent of Southern Grampians Shire Council residents aged 12 and over have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 94.1 per cent of Victorians aged 12 and over have now had at least one dose, and 91.6 per cent have had two doses.

According to the Western District Health Service there have been no new COVID-19 cases in Hamilton this week.