Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Teresa Tam has provided an update on the COVID-19 Variants of Concern in the country, and it’s providing a clearer picture regarding recent COVID spikes in the country.
She says accelerated epidemic growth in Canada is being driven by ‘Variants of Concern,’ which are predominating in several areas.
The number of confirmed cases of the B117 variant is nearing 50,000, the bulk of which—just over 27,000—reported in Ontario.
To date, = 51,643 #VariantsOfConcern cases (?4,966 since Apr. 14), including 49,365 (?4,918) B.1.1.7, 1,882 (?32) P.1 & 396 (?16) B.1.351 variants have been reported, with numbers highest in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, & Quebec. https://t.co/IHyBa1lpr8
— Dr. Theresa Tam (@CPHO_Canada) April 16, 2021
Nearly 400 cases of the B1351 variant have been reported in Canada, most of which have been reported in Quebec, while nearly 1,900 cases of the P1 variant have been reported, most of those in British Columbia.
Early evidence suggests that P1 may reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, according to Dr. Tam, which makes slowing the spread even more urgent.
She’s advising people to reduce their contacts as much as possible and maintain individual precautions.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, 178 cases of the B117 variant, linked to the February outbreak in the metro area, have been reported, along with a single case of the B1351 variant.
