Windsor-Essex is looking at an increase in new COVID-19 cases as a new variant comes to Ontario.
While the variant is not in Windsor-Essex, the region reported a total of 239 new COVID-19 cases from the weekend. There were 71 counted on Saturday, 86 on Sunday, and 82 Monday.
Despite concerns over the potency of the Omicron variant, Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai is not yet looking at any changes in the way current guidelines are going.
"We would expect as we progress through the pandemic that there will be this variant, and other new variants that may come to the forefront," said Nesathurai. "The public health messaging is the same, though."
Nesathurai acknowledged that not much is known locally about the variant or how it will affect patients.
"It's difficult to comment on what exactly the public health implications would be, specifically how much more infectious is this than the current variants. I think that answer is still to be determined," said Nesathurai.
The Omicron variant, first discovered in Africa, was confirmed as being in the province Sunday, with two cases reported in the Ottawa area. The two patients had recently travelled to Nigeria and are isolated while the contact tracing takes place.
Out of the weekend's total amount of new cases, 97 were related to close contact with confirmed cases. There were also 58 were acquired through the community, 28 related to outbreaks, and 56 still being investigated.
There are 27 active outbreaks in the region. Among them were nine in workplaces, eight in the community, and seven in schools.
The health unit reported 18 patients in hospital.
A second potential COVID-19 exposure point was announced Monday morning. Anyone who visited the Home Hardware Building Centre on Tecumseh Road West in Windsor on either November 22 or November 23, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., is asked to self-monitor for symptoms.
