BARRIE, ONT. -- Three Simcoe County courthouses are closed after the Ministry of Health confirmed a COVID-19 variant case in one worker, plus five potential high-risk cases.

According to the ministry, the person who tested positive for a variant of concern worked at the Barrie courthouse. It states the individual was last at the Mulcaster Street building on Feb. 12.

The ministry said that because there might have been staff travelling between courthouses in Barrie, Bradford and Orillia, it was closing all three until at least Monday as a precaution.

The health unit is now investigating the situation and will contact anyone identified as potential high-risk exposure.

Meanwhile, further testing is required to identify the type of variant strain in the infected individual.