Ontario confirms two more Omicron COVID-19 variant cases, bringing confirmed total to four
CTV
Ontario has now confirmed a total of four cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant in the province. Ottawa Public Health confirmed Monday evening that two more travellers have tested positive for the variant.
“Yesterday the government of Ontario announced two individuals in Ottawa tested positive for the COVID 19 omicron variant with recent travel to Nigeria. We are now aware of two other returned travellers who have tested positive for the omicron variant,” the health unit said in a statement.
Earlier Monday, the province said it was investigating four additional COVID-positive people who met specific high-risk criteria for the Omicron coronavirus variant, and the province’s chief medical officer suggested limiting the investigation focus on returnees from southern Africa is not a wise idea.
Dr. Kieran Moore said beyond the first two Ottawa residents confirmed to have the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant on Sunday, there were four other individuals – two also in Ottawa and two others in Hamilton – whose positive COVID-19 samples were undergoing whole genomic sequencing.
While the two additional travellers residing in Ottawa have now tested positive for the variant, results have not yet come back from health officials in Hamilton for those cases.
