Two UK Variant COVID Cases In Ontario

[niman]

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by niman

[niman]

In a news release issued Saturday, the Ministry of Health said the cases are a couple from Durham with no known travel history.

https://www.cp24.com/news/ontario-s-first-two-cases-of-new-covid-19-strain-reported-in-durham-1.5245512

[niman]

Ontario has reported its first two cases of the new COVID-19 variant previously identified in the United Kingdom.

In a news release issued Saturday, the Ministry of Health said the cases are a couple from Durham with no known travel history.

"This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures beginning today," Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, said in a statement.

RELATED STORIES

• What do we know about the new COVID-19 strain and what does it mean for current vaccine?

PHOTOS

 

In this illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). THE CANADIAN PRESS/CDC via AP, File

"Durham Region Health Department has conducted case and contact investigation and Ontario is working in collaboration with our federal counterparts at the Public Health Agency of Canada."

Both individuals are now in self-isolation. Ontario is the first province in Canada to identify the variant.

The new strain has been reported in other countries, including Denmark, Belgium, Australia and the Netherlands.

While studies suggest the variant can spread easier and faster, the ministry said there is no evidence at this time that it is more likely to cause severe illness.

The ministry also said there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccines will be any less effective against the new strain.

"With inbound international travel, it is not unexpected to have identified the new variant in Ontario," the ministry said.

"Recognizing the potential increased risk that inbound international travellers may pose with this new variant, the province continues to call on the federal government to urgently partner with Ontario to implement testing at Toronto Pearson International Airport."

After the variant was detected, Canada posted a travel ban on all flights arriving from the U.K. until Jan. 6.

The province reported more than 2,100 COVID-19 cases on both Friday and Saturday, with 81 new deaths over that 48-hour period.

[niman]

COVID-19 UK Variant in Durham Region

On December 26, 2020, Durham Region Health Department became aware of two cases of the COVID-19 variant first identified in the UK. This variant has now been detected in multiple countries beyond the U.K., and with inbound international travel, it is not unexpected to have identified the variant in Ontario.

The two cases in Durham Region remain in isolation according to public health guidance.

The evidence suggests the COVID-19 variant first identified in the UK is more transmissible but there is no evidence it is more likely to cause severe illness. There is no evidence to suggest the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.

All residents of Durham Region are reminded of basic public health measures to prevent COVID-19:

• Stay home as much as possible.
• Practice cough and hand hygiene.
• Maintain physical distancing.
• Wear a mask or face covering when unable to physically distance.
• If you are experiencing fever, cough or difficulty breathing or other COVID-19 related symptoms or you know you are a contact of a case of COVID-19, go to lakeridgehealth.on.ca to complete the online assessment form to get an appointment to be tested at a COVID-19 Assessment Clinic. You are required to stay home and isolate.

Additional resources

• Visit Ontario’s newsroom web page to view the media release.
• Visit Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine web page to view the latest provincial data and information on COVID-19 vaccines.
• Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.
• https://www.durham.ca/en/health-and-wellness/novel-coronavirus-update.aspx

[niman]

Ontario Confirms First Cases of COVID-19 UK Variant in Ontario

To Help Stop the Spread Ontario Entered Provincewide Shutdown Beginning Today

December 26, 2020

Health

---

Table of Contents

1. Content
2. Quick Facts
3. Additional Resources
4. Related Topics

---

TORONTO — Today, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health, announced the first two confirmed cases in Ontario of the COVID-19 variant first identified in the UK. This variant has now been detected in multiple countries beyond the UK, including Denmark, Belgium, Australia and the Netherlands. With inbound international travel, it is not unexpected to have identified the new variant in Ontario. Ontario is the first province to identify this variant thanks to the proactive work of the Public Health Ontario Laboratory.

The cases are a couple from Durham with no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts. Both individuals have been informed and are now in self-isolation as per public health protocols.

"This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures beginning today," said Dr. Yaffe. "Durham Region Health Department has conducted case and contact investigation and Ontario is working in collaboration with our federal counterparts at the Public Health Agency of Canada."

Modelling and epidemiological studies suggest that the COVID-19 variant first identified in the UK can spread easier and faster, but there is no evidence that it is more likely to cause severe illness. There is no evidence to suggest that the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.

Recognizing the potential increased risk that inbound international travelers may pose with this new variant, the province continues to call on the federal government to urgently partner with Ontario to implement testing at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Regardless of whether federal support is forthcoming, the Ontario government is prepared to act on its own to implement an airport testing program.

Effective December 26 at 12:01 a.m. Ontario has entered a provincewide shutdown. These time-limited measures will help slow the transmission of COVID-19, limit mobility, preserve health system capacity, and save lives. 

The Ministry of Health continues to be in constant contact with the Public Health Agency of Canada and other jurisdictions to monitor the developing situation and ensure coordinated, effective and shared efforts to protect and safeguard the public.

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/59831/ontario-confirms-first-cases-of-covid-19-uk-variant-in-ontario

[niman]

Statement on COVID-19 virus variants detected in Ontario

From : Public Health Agency of Canada

Declaration

December 26, 2020 Ottawa, ON Public Health Agency of Canada

The Government of Canada has a surveillance program in place in consultation with provinces and territories to identify  new genetic variants of COVID-19 in Canada, such as those detected in the United Kingdom and South Africa. South .

Although preliminary data suggests that these new variants may be even more contagious, to date there is no evidence that these variants cause more serious disease or affect the antibody response or vaccine efficacy. More research will be needed to confirm these results. The medical, public health and research communities in Canada and around the world are actively evaluating these mutations.

The Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) National Microbiology Laboratory is monitoring cases of COVID-19 across Canada in provinces and territories as part of an ongoing analysis of genomic data in Canada. As a result of this ongoing surveillance, two confirmed cases of the variant observed in the United Kingdom have been identified in Ontario.

As surveillance continues, more cases of this variant and other variants of concern may be found in Canada. In addition, since these two cases affect people who have not traveled outside of Canada, it is important to follow public health measures and limit contact with others, in order to reduce the transmission of the virus and any other variant in communities. The best way to prevent infection with a variant of COVID-19 is to follow public health measures.

In order to reduce the risk of importing the virus and any other variants, Canada has put in place travel restrictions and border measures since March 2020, including a mandatory quarantine. These stringent quarantine measures are among the strictest in the world. Less than 2% of all reported cases in Canada follow international travel.

All travelers must present their quarantine plan to the quarantine officer at the point of entry into Canada, and those with an inadequate plan are directed to a federal quarantine facility. PHAC monitors travelers' compliance with the quarantine and uses law enforcement officers to verify compliance with the 14-day quarantine. Those who fail to comply with quarantine requirements can be fined up to $ 750,000 or up to six months in jail.

On December 20, in response to concerns about the UK variant of COVID-19, the Government of Canada suspended all flights from the UK for 72 hours. This was then extended to January 6 at 11:59 p.m. Since then, travelers are asked additional health screening questions to help determine if their travel itinerary includes a country of concern that reported this variant during. the last 14 days before arriving at a port of entry in Canada.

A quarantine officer will review the quarantine plan for all travelers. If plans are not adequate, travelers will be asked to quarantine at a federal quarantine center. Travelers who arrived in Canada before December 20 from a country of concern should go through a full quarantine period, get tested even if symptoms are mild, and present their travel history to an assessment center. local.

The Government of Canada continues to advise against non-essential travel to other countries and  recommends increased caution if travelers need to travel to the UK or South Africa . Restrictions change quickly and can be imposed by countries with very little notice, disrupting travel plans. People may be forced to stay outside of Canada longer than expected if they choose to take non-essential travel. 

Contacts

Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
[email protected]

https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante-publique/nouvelles/2020/12/declaration-sur-les-variants-du-virus-de-la-covid-19-detectes-en-ontario.html

[niman]

In addition, since the initial reporting of the first two cases of the variant on December 26, 2020, additional investigation and follow-up case and contact management has revealed that the couple had indeed been in contact with a recent traveller from the UK, which is new information not provided in earlier interviews. The cases and contacts have been informed and are now in self-isolation as per public health protocols.

It is critically important that individuals with confirmed cases of COVID-19 provide all history of contacts and contact information to their public health unit. This is crucial to the prevention and control of this infection.

"This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures," said Dr. Yaffe. "This is also an important reminder about the need for arriving international travelers to maintain quarantine for 14 days." 

With the confirmation of three cases stemming from inbound international travel, the province continues to call on the federal government to urgently partner with Ontario to implement testing at Toronto Pearson International Airport and strengthen oversight of quarantine. Regardless of whether federal support is forthcoming, the Ontario government is prepared to act on its own to implement an airport testing program.

The Ministry of Health continues to be in constant contact with the Public Health Agency of Canada and other jurisdictions to monitor the developing situation and ensure coordinated, effective and shared efforts to protect and safeguard the public.

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/59833/ontario-provides-update-on-ontario-cases-of-covid-19-uk-variant