The North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit says a "cluster or group of COVID-19 cases" have been identified that have no connection other than living in the same apartment building.
"The people are unknown to each other," says a news release.
"Due to the small number of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 in the Health Unit’s district, this has raised concern. This is especially worrying as one of the people who tested positive had a preliminary confirmation of a COVID-19 Variant of Concern."
To try to contain the spread of COVID-19, the North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit in collaboration with the North Bay Regional Health Centre’s Assessment Centre is offering on-location COVID-19 testing to residents of the building. Residents of the building are self-isolating until they receive a negative COVID-19 test.
The Health Unit did not identify the building, nor whether it was in Nipissing or Parry Sound however given the North Bay Assessment Centre is involved, it would appear to be local.
On Thursday, the Health Unit confirmed its first case of a COVID-19 Variant of Concern (VOC). It's also believed to be the first in northern Ontario.
See: First case of a COVID-19 Variant discovered in Northern Ontario
Following a positive result of COVID-19, with exposure associated with recent international travel, further testing for variants was requested. The individual is currently self-isolating.
Preliminary results of the testing showed the presence of a VOC, however, further testing is required to identify the strain of this variant.
