Ontario child becomes York Region's first confirmed Omicron variant case
York Region Public Health confirmed its first positive case of the new Omicron variant on Friday.
According to York Region's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Barry Pakes, a young child tested positive after a recent trip.
"It's a case among a person who is too young to be vaccinated who recently travelled to South Africa with a family member," Dr. Pakes said.
"That person has two household members who have also tested positive for COVID, but the screen is not yet available for Omicron."
Public health anticipates having the screening test back "soon," but could not provide a definite timeline.
While the screening has yet to confirm whether the other two individuals have the latest mutation of COVID-19, Dr. Pakes believes it is likely the region will have three Omicron cases.
Dr. Pakes said it was only a matter of time before the new variant made its way to the area.
"This was expected. It's not surprising at all," he stated.
"We've seen quite a few cases in Ontario, and Canada and throughout the world, and they are travel-related. There's no evidence of any transmission within York Region," he added.
Dr. Pakes said all three individuals are self-isolating in their home. He said he doesn't believe there is any risk to the community.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.