Highly transmissible 'Kraken' variant found in Simcoe Muskoka
Cases of a new, highly-transmissible Omicron subvariant have risen in Ontario and are starting to show signs of appearing in Simcoe Muskoka.
According to the latest COVID-19 genomic surveillance report from Public Health Ontario released Tuesday, the XBB.1.5 subvariant is expected to account for 22.2 per cent of COVID-19 cases by the end of this week.
According to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), one case back in December can be linked back to the XBB.1.5 subvariant - otherwise known as the 'Kraken.'
"Approximately 20 to 22 per cent of cases in Ontario are due to this variant, so it's increased substantially from what it was in December, about two per cent at the end of the month," said Dr. Charles Gardner, Medical officer of Health for the SMDHU.
"It's far easier to catch and has become the dominant variant across North America," Dr. Gardner added.
Health officials report data shows some signs that the Kraken subvariant is within York Region.
"It is here. It's in the low digits of per cent," said Dr. Barry Pakes, York Region Medical Officer of Health.
"It is highly transmissible, and what we know about XBB.1.5 is that it has the potential to evade certain parts of our immune system, despite our anti-bodies from vaccines or having COVID-19," Dr. Pakes said.
Evidence doesn't suggest the Kraken subvariant poses any more of a threat than previous COVID-19 variants, but its high transmission rates have the potential for straining an already overburdened health care system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation is the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Video captures deadly wrong-way police chase on Highway 401 in Ontario
A new video has surfaced showing a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 moments prior to a fatal crash that killed four people, including an infant and their grandparents.