The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has confirmed its first case of COVID-19 Variant of Concern.
Following a positive result of COVID-19, with exposure associated to recent international travel, further testing for variants was requested. The individual is currently self-isolating. Despite testing showing presence of Variant of Concern, further testing is required to identify the strain.
“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.”
Ontario is currently facing a surge of variant cases, particularly the COVID-19 variant first detected in the UK. This variant has proven to be easily transmissible, and we have seen this with long-term care homes in districts as close as the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
The Health Unit reminds anyone who thinks they may have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who tested positive, to first self-isolate and then use Ontario’s Self-Assessment Tool to see if they need to seek further care. If they need further assistance, they should call their health care provider or the Health Unit at 1-800-563-2808. If they have severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, they should call 911 and mention their symptoms.
For more information on COVID-19 locally please visit www.myhealthunit.ca/COVID-19.
