CORNWALL, Ontario – A new variant of the COVID-19 virus has not yet appeared in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) region according to a statement from the organization.
This new variant of COVID-19 was first detected in the UK and is more contagious, but not more deadly, than the version that has swept the globe over the past year.
The EOHU stated that while this variant of the virus has yet to appear in the region, that residents should remain vigilant.
“At this time, no COVID variant has been detected in the EOHU area. While the health unit is keeping a close eye on the situation, we will only know about its presence when we receive test results from the laboratory. This is another reason why the community must remain hyper-vigilant and continue taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” reads a statement from the EOHU.
The EOHU went on to state that the new main vaccines that have been developed to fight COVID-19 are just as effective against this variant.
For vaccine distribution in the region, the EOHU states that they remain in close contact with the Ministry of Health, but did not say when doses will begin to be administered to area residents.
The EOHU did state that the COVID-19 caseload remains high.
According to numbers posted by the EOHU on Dec. 29 at 4:44 p.m., there are currently 239 active cases in the region, with five individuals in hospital. There has been a total of 1,343 cases of COVID-19 in the region since March, with 33 individuals deceased from the disease.
There are currently 55 active cases of COVID-19 in Cornwall, one in the northern part of Akwesasne, 13 in South Glengarry, seven in South Stormont, 10 in South Dundas, three in North Dundas, five in North Stormont, 13 in North Glengarry, zero in East Hawkesbury, 10 in Hawkesbury, two in Champlain, nine in Alfred and Plantagenet, 50 in Clarence-Rockland, 16 in The Nation, eight in Casselman, and 37 in Russell.
