First COVID-19 variant verified in North Bay health unit region

The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit says its first case of the COVID-19 variant is in the region.

The person recently travelled internationally, a spokesperson said Thursday afternoon, and they arecurrently self-isolating.

Further testing isrequired to identify the strain of this variant.

"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 North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit's Dr. Jim Chirico.

The health unit says the province iscurrently 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."