Article content The Porcupine Health Unit area now has its second confirmed case of a COVID-19 “variant”. The news doesn’t come as a shock or surprise to local health authorities as the second individual was closely linked to the first case and the individuals, both Timmins residents, had tested positive for a possible “variant of concern” after being exposed to an outbreak in another region where variants of concern had been confirmed. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser. Second 'variant' form of COVID for PHU area confirmed Back to video “The Porcupine Health Unit was notified by the Public Health Ontario Laboratory that a local individual, previously announced on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, as a possible case of a variant of concern, has been identified as the second person in the region to be confirmed with the COVID-19 variant B.1.351 or 501Y.V2 first detected in South Africa,” Dr. Lianne Catton, medical officer of health for the Porcupine Health Unit, stated Wednesday.