The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has confirmed its first case of a COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC).
It is the first confirmed case of a variant of the virus in Northern Ontario.
The Sudbury-area health unit had reported a possible COVID variant at the end of January. As of this morning, Public Health Ontario has not reported any confirmed cases from that district.
The first confirmed case is in the North Bay and Parry Sound area. After a positive result of COVID-19, with exposure associated with recent international travel, further testing for variants was requested. The individual is currently self-isolating.
Preliminary results of the testing showed the presence of a VOC, however, further testing is required to identify the strain of this variant.
“The preliminary results of COVID-19 Variant of Concern confirms the need for everyone to remain cautious and assume everyone outside your home has COVID-19,” says Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health. “Our district has been doing great with keeping the number of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 low, but, as we've seen with the outbreaks in long-term care homes, associated to COVID-19 Variants of Concern in southern Ontario, the variants can be devastating. We must not let our guard down and we need to continue to follow public health guidelines.”
Chirico did not specify if the VOC is in Nipissing or Parry Sound.
In this morning's report, Public Health Ontario reported 153 variant cases. One is the South African strain and 152 are for B.1.1.7, which is the one associated with the United Kingdom.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has the most confirmed cases of the UK variant in the province, with 89 being confirmed to date.
As of yesterday, all positive COVID-19 tests are now being screened for variant strains.
