'Small number' of Omicron subvariant cases detected in B.C., officials say
Health officials have confirmed a "very small number" of COVID-19 cases involving a new Omicron subvariant have been found in British Columbia.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the BA.2 sub-lineage was first detected locally about two weeks ago, and the government is monitoring the situation closely as countries around the world gather data on the Omicron descendant.
So far, based on findings out of the U.K., Henry said it appears BA.2 probably has "increased transmissibility," but whether there are any additional differences remains unclear.
"There's still a whole lot we don't know," she said at a news conference Tuesday. "There hasn't been enough of it, certainly not here and not in Canada, to really see any impact."
There have been 51 cases of the BA.2 subvariant confirmed across the country so far, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday.
In an emailed statement to CTV News, PHAC said it is monitoring BA.2 as it does all new COVID-19 variants, and encouraged the public to continue following the advice of health officials.
"The government of Canada knows that vaccination, in combination with public health and individual measures, is key to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and its variants," PHAC added.
BA.2 has been referred to as "stealthier" than past variants, a reference to changes that might make it more difficult to detect. So far, the World Health Organization has not declared BA.2 a variant of concern.
Encouragingly, Henry suggested the cases identified in British Columbia have not demonstrated a clear competitive advantage over previous iterations of Omicron.
"My lab team has been following it really carefully and we're not seeing it taking over from Omicron, as we saw Omicron take over from Delta, for example," she said.
The provincial health officer noted that regional differences in variants tend to emerge when there is widespread transmission, pointing to the AY.25 and AY.27 versions of Delta that B.C. started tracking last summer.
When it comes to BA.2, time will tell what "the overall impact is going to be, if any," Henry said.
With files from CTVNews.ca's Brooklyn Neustaeter
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.