Two cases of a more contagious COVID-19 variant have been confirmed in Elgin and Oxford counties.
Southwestern Public Health, the region's health unit, said Thursday that routine laboratory testing identified a variant of COVID-19 in two people who live in the same house. These are the first cases of a variant to be found in the region. The infected pair are believed to have picked up the virus through out-of-country travel. They followed "strict self-isolation requirements" and have since recovered, the health unit said.
“The goal in a region like ours, with very few variants of concern, is to contain and prevent further spread. Our team is providing enhanced follow-up and increased vigilance to do our best to avoid a variant of concern from entering high priority settings like congregate living, health care settings, schools, or large essential workplaces,” Medical Officer of Health Dr. Joyce Lock said in a statement.
Public Health Ontario has been routinely testing 3 per cent of all positive COVID-19 cases across the province for variants.
Currently, there are three different variants circulating in Canada and internationally - the U.K. variant known as B.1.1.7., the South African variant known as B.1.351, and the Brazil variant, P.1. The health unit said it was the B.1.1.7 strain found in the two residents from the Oxford-Elgin region.
The discovery of the variant in the jurisdiction covered by Southwestern Public Health reinforces the need for the public to continue to follow public health measures aimed at curbing the virus' spread, according to Lock.
"Continue to avoid close contact with people you don’t live with, if you have any symptoms – even mild symptoms - stay home except to get a COVID test. Wash your hands often, wear your face covering properly," said Lock. "COVID-19 is still with us and we do not want these variants to get a foothold in our region and reverse all of your hard work.”
