CORNWALL, Ontario – The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) region has identified variants to the COVID-19 virus in the region.
Variants of the virus have been detected in three staff members at St. Albert’s Cheese in St. Albert, and one other variant in another individual, though the EOHU does not specify where that individual is from in the region.
The EOHU does not state which of the globally emerging variants these are, with variants first identified in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and California becoming more and more prevalent across the world.
The Health Unit does state that it is conducting contact tracing in all four of the cases mentioned above, and has tested all of the staff at St. Albert’s Cheese, which remains closed until the tests come back.
The EOHU stated that the outbreak at St. Albert’s Cheese poses no risk to the public.
“While I am concerned about the presence of COVID-19 variants of concern in our region, I am not surprised as they are being detected across the province,” says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the EOHU. “Seeing as these variants are much more contagious than the original strain of COVID-19, it is essential that we continue taking the precautions recommended by public health until a majority of the population is vaccinated.”