Image Credit: CFJC Today / File

By Canadian Press

COVID-19

Ontario confirms two cases of COVID-19 variant first discovered in U.K.

Dec 26, 2020 | 2:59 PM

Ontario has confirmed its two first Canadian cases of a more contagious variant of COVID-19 first identified in the United Kingdom.

The province’s associate chief medical officer of health said today that the cases are a couple from Durham Region, just east of Toronto, with no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts.

The new variant is believed to spread easier and faster than the original version of the disease but is not believed to be more deadly.

The provincial government said in a news release that is no evidence to suggest that the Health Canada-approved vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.

The variant was first identified in the United Kingdom but has since been detected in several other countries, including Denmark, Belgium, Australia and the Netherlands.

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The news release noted the discovery of the variant was “not unexpected” due to inbound international travel.

Ontario began a provincewide lockdown on Saturday as several provinces are opting for online or scaled-down Boxing Day shopping to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The province has reported more than 2,000 cases 12 days in a row, including 2,142 new positive tests on Saturday and 2,159 cases from Christmas Day.

There were also 81 additional deaths during those days, the provincial government said.

Under the new rules that came into effect on Boxing Day, restaurants in Ontario can only provide takeout, drive through and delivery, including the sale of alcohol.

Ontario has joined Manitoba and Quebec in closing non-essential retail stores for in-person shopping, while supermarkets and pharmacies must follow rules for distancing and limiting capacity.

The new rules are having an effect on Boxing Day shopping, which is forcing bargain hunters in many parts of the country to look online for deals instead of lining up and crowding into stores in person.

Other provinces have put limits on in-store capacity as officials urge Canadians to stay home and limit contacts as much as possible to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Ontario’s new measures remain in effect in southern Ontario until Jan. 23, but will lift for the less-affected northern regions on Jan. 9.

In Quebec, a province-wide lockdown went into effect Friday, with businesses deemed non-essential ordered to remain closed until at least Jan. 11. The province did not publish data on the number of new infections or deaths on Friday or Saturday.

Government websites for Manitoba and Saskatchewan also indicated those provinces would not provide updates on Saturday.

Alberta reported an estimated 1,200 new cases on Dec. 24 and about 900 on Christmas Day, according to a modified update provided by the province’s chief medical officer of health.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw said on Twitter that hospitalizations and intensive care numbers also increased slightly each day.

New Brunswick reported two new cases on Saturday, and said both were related to travel.

Officials also reported possible exposure sites on three recent Air Canada flights into New Brunswick.