niman Posted January 23, 2021 Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 (edited) Sequences from the six B.1.1.7 cases described below have not been released. They will be assigned UNK numbers and be updated upon release. Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK157/2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK158/2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK159/2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK160/2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK161/2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK162/2021 The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit says genome sequencing identified the UK B.1.1.7 variant in six swabs taken from the facility. "The rapid spread, high attack rate and the devastating impact on residents and staff at Roberta Place long-term care home has been heartbreaking for all," said Medical Officer of Health Charles Gardner. "Confirmation of the variant, while expected, does not change our course of action. We remain diligent in doing everything we can to prevent further spread." https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/uk-variant-confirmed-at-roberta-place-1.5279379 Edited January 23, 2021 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK157/2021 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=44.34093052435826%2C-79.86361283476563&z=10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK158/2021 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=44.34093052435826%2C-79.86361283476563&z=10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK159/2021 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=44.34093052435826%2C-79.86361283476563&z=10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK160/2021 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=44.34093052435826%2C-79.86361283476563&z=10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK161/2021 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=44.34093052435826%2C-79.86361283476563&z=10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Canada/ON-PHL-21-UNK162/2021 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1aQDSL2LwQFbuoCAg_nIOPK8D-LIJ5MYd&ll=44.34093052435826%2C-79.86361283476563&z=10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 UK variant confirmed at Roberta Place Siobhan MorrisWeekend Producer/Videographer @siomoCTV Contact Published Saturday, January 23, 2021 10:56AM ESTLast Updated Saturday, January 23, 2021 11:26AM EST SHARE BARRIE, ONT. -- Public health officials confirm a new, more easily transmissible variant of COVID-19 first identified in the United Kingdom has torn through Roberta Place Long-Term Care in Barrie. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit says genome sequencing identified the UK B.1.1.7 variant in six swabs taken from the facility. Since an outbreak was declared Jan. 8 , 124 of 127 residents and 84 staff members have been sickened. Twenty-nine residents with the virus have died. Fifty-five cases of COVID-19 were identified in the first 48 hours of the outbreak. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit says genome sequencing identified the UK B.1.1.7 variant in six swabs taken from the facility. "The rapid spread, high attack rate and the devastating impact on residents and staff at Roberta Place long-term care home has been heartbreaking for all," said Medical Officer of Health Charles Gardner. "Confirmation of the variant, while expected, does not change our course of action. We remain diligent in doing everything we can to prevent further spread." Health officials revealed early this week that the home's first positive case was in a staff member who'd had close contact with someone who had recently travelled, though that traveller had not visited regions where new variants have been identified. Residents and staff at the neighbouring Roberta Place Retirement Lodge received their first doses of COVID-19 vaccine Friday. No cases of the virus have been identified at the retirement home. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/uk-variant-confirmed-at-roberta-place-1.5279379 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 COVID-19 variant first seen in U.K. found in Barrie long-term care home, public health unit confirms Only 2 residents at Roberta Place Long-Term Care Home not infected with COVID-19 CBC News · Posted: Jan 23, 2021 11:38 AM ET | Last Updated: 30 minutes ago Genome sequencing has confirmed that a variant of COVID-19 first detected in the United Kingdom is present at a long-term care home in Barrie, Ont., according to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) Genome sequencing has confirmed that a variant of COVID-19 first detected in the United Kingdom is present at a long-term care home in Barrie, Ont., according to the local public health unit. This variant is considered highly contagious and can be transmitted easily. In a news release on Saturday, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) said the testing done on Friday has determined that six samples taken from the Roberta Place Long Term Care Home are of the variant that is known as the B.1.1.7 variant. The home is north of Toronto. Eighty-four staff members have tested positive for the virus, which Gardner says account for nearly half of the home's staff. Gardner also said there have been 32 deaths as of Saturday. The outbreak was declared on Jan. 8. Two essential visitors and three others have also tested positive. The Canadian Red Cross was deployed to the home on Jan. 17 to help stop the ongoing outbreak. As of Jan. 16, eligible residents of all long-term care facilities in the region have received their first dose of immunization. Officials said they planned to immunize residents at the other retirement homes throughout Simcoe Muskoka over the weekend. Known variant strains of the virus were first detected in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/u-k-variant-roberta-place-1.5885286 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 United Kingdom (UK) COVID -19 variant identified at long-term care home Jan 23, 2021 Leave a comment SIMCOE MUSKOKA –Genome sequencing on all six COVID-19 samples from a Barrie long-term care home have now been identified as the United Kingdom (UK) variant that has proven to be highly contagious and easily transmitted “The rapid spread, high attack rate and the devastating impact on residents and staff at Roberta Place long-term care home has been heartbreaking for all,” said Charles Gardner, Medical Officer of Health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU). “Confirmation of the variant, while expected, does not change our course of action. We remain diligent in doing everything we can to prevent further spread.” On Wednesday January 20, SMDHU confirmed that preliminary laboratory testing of six cases had identified a high likelihood that there was a COVID-19 variant of concern. The second test, a whole genome sequencing test, determined the exact COVID-19 variant, the UK B.1.1.7 variant. This variant of concern is more easily transmitted, resulting in much larger numbers of cases in a very rapid fashion. The outbreak at Roberta Place long-term care was first declared on January 8. As of yesterday, Friday, January 22, 124 of 127 residents, and 84 staff were positive for the virus, resulting in 29 deaths. In addition, two essential visitors and three external partners have tested positive. Yesterday the health unit in partnership with the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre accelerated its immunization program, with its mobile immunization team vaccinating all eligible residents and staff at Roberta Place Retirement Lodge retirement home against COVID-19. Beginning this weekend, the health unit, in collaboration with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, (RVH) began immunizing residents at the other retirement homes throughout Simcoe Muskoka. In addition, as of January 16, eligible residents of all long term care facilities in Simcoe Muskoka have received their first dose of immunization against COVID-19. It’s important that everyone continue to strictly follow public health measures to reduce and prevent transmission of the virus: wear a mask, physically distance from those outside your household, wash your hands frequently, leave your home only for essential reasons (in keeping with the provincial Stay at Home Order), and if you have symptoms self-isolate at home and get tested for COVID-19. For more information, visit the health unit’s COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunization web page or call Health Connection to speak with a public health professional weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 705-721-7520 (1-877-721-7520). More information about the vaccine and immunization can also be found at ontario.ca. https://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/HealthUnit/About/Newsroom/2021/01/23/United-Kingdom-(UK)-COVID--19-variant-identified-at-long-term-care-home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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