No community transmission of Omicron in Quebec as province confirms five cases
In the week since Quebec confirmed its first case of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, health officials say there have only been a handful of cases positively identified in the province.
On Nov. 29, the government announced it had detected its first known case of the variant from someone who had returned from a trip to Nigeria.
Quebec’s health ministry said in a tweet Wednesday afternoon that as of Dec. 7, only five cases have been identified so far through sequencing and they all appear to be related to travel abroad.
“Seven cases are under investigation,” the tweet also said.
When news of the first case arrived in Quebec, Health Minister Christian Dubé said his department was made aware of at least 115 travellers arriving in Quebec from countries of concern, where the variants were first detected, and that those people were asked to take a new PCR test and self-isolate.
The update on Wednesday is in line with what officials said last week that, at least for now, the new variant doesn’t appear to be spreading locally in Quebec.
The government said after a one-day survey of COVID-19 tests there were no positive cases confirmed. The province is still monitoring travellers and their contacts closely to keep an eye on the situation.
The absence of community transmission of the Omicron variant was one of the reasons the government cited when it announced on Tuesday that it will allow larger indoor gatherings in homes in the lead up to the holidays. Quebecers can allow up to 20 people into their homes as of Dec. 23 and are firmly recommending all guests be vaccinated.
On Wednesday, the province continued its upward trend for new daily cases with 1,367 new COVID-19 infections recorded, along with two new deaths due to the virus. Hospitalizations increased by seven in the last 24 hours, for a total of 242.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.