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David Jackson/The Globe and Mail
Ontario faces a critical few weeks as it monitors the spread of more-contagious variants of COVID-19, the province’s pandemic science advisers warned Thursday, with the government considering a new lockdown on hard-hit Thunder Bay.
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, David Williams, said he would be looking at the latest data and talking to Thunder Bay’s local health officer Thursday evening about whether to recommend new restrictions for the area at a cabinet meeting set for Friday.
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A surge of COVID-19 infections in Northern Ontario’s Thunder Bay district fuelled by outbreaks at local correctional facilities has resulted in more confirmed cases so far this year than last year, prompting the regional hospital to expand its COVID unit in preparation for a worsening crisis.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre confirmed 18 COVID-19 patients are in hospital, including seven people in the ICU, forcing it to add another eight beds to its COVID-19 unit.
There are 273 active cases in the district, including 178 reported since Friday.
Meanwhile, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit says its staff is maxed out with an influx of inquiries from parents after 11 school outbreaks in the past two weeks, including six schools since Friday.
The first case of coronavirus is now associated with St. Patrick High School. Officials with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board report lat.
UK COVID-19 variant found in Dryden area
More transmissible, possibly more lethal variant detected in Northwestern Health Unit for first time.
Feb 26, 2021 11:28 AM By: TbNewsWatch.com Staff
The “U.K. variant” of COVID-19 has arrived in the Northwestern Health Unit.Mike Wakefield, North Shore News files DRYDEN, Ont. – A COVID-19 variant that is significantly more contagious and possibly more lethal has been detected in the Dryden area.
The B.1.1.7 variant, first found in the United Kingdom, was found following screening of positive results, the Northwester Health Unit reported Friday.
It’s the first time one of three variants of concern tracked by health authorities has been detected in either the Northwestern Health Unit or the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. As of Feb. 25, nearly 500 cases of the variant had been detected across Ontario.
Record 60 new COVID-19 cases reported, including another death
Thunder Bay has recorded more COVID-19 cases in February than it did in all of 2020.
Feb 26, 2021 10:58 AM By: Leith Dunick
iStock
THUNDER BAY – The District of Thunder Bay has crossed another dubious COVID-19 milestone, recording its 1500th case, a day shy of 11 months after the first case was announced last March 27.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit on Friday announced a single-day record-high 60 new cases of the virus, bringing the region’s overall total to 1,557.
The 60 cases bring February’s total to 586, one more than the district recorded in all of 2020.
The health unit also reported a new death for the third straight day, bringing the District of Thunder Bay s total to 30. There are currently 22 district residents in hospital, with five in the intensive care unit.