Omicron not yet spreading locally within Quebec, according to one-day 'portrait' on Nov. 30
The Omicron variant isn't yet spreading locally within Quebec, or it wasn't as of Nov. 30, according to the province's first effort to monitor the troubling variant on home turf.
"Quebec has rapidly deployed surveillance of the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) in recent days" and will continue to ramp up the effort, the province said in a release Monday afternoon.
It started with a "one-off survey" to screen as many positive COVID-19 tests as possible from a single day, Nov. 30, for the variant.
There were the 1,174 positive samples that day, but only some had enough of a viral load to be used for DNA sampling. The province's public health lab received and screened 894 of the tests.
Among these, no Omicron variant was detected.
This one-day screening "allows us to have a 'photo' of the current situation in Quebec," the province wrote.
"Currently, this variant does not seem to be circulating in the community, apart from cases related to travellers."
Only one case of Omicron has been confirmed -- the traveller, already reported, who was returning from Nigeria. That person's case was confirmed on Nov. 29.
The province is still monitoring travellers and their contacts closely to see if there are new Omicron cases in this group, it said.
TWO-STEP SCREENING TAILORED TO OMICRON
More specifically, all travellers returning to Quebec from foreign countries who test positive for COVID-19 have their samples pre-screened, with two particular mutations looked for -- Omicron famously has more than 50 mutations. Both these particular mutations aren't present in the Delta variant, which is dominant in Quebec.
If the pre-screening is positive, the sample moves on to genome sequencing, which can definitively confirm an Omicron case.
While the Omicron variant is "of concern," the release said, "we do not yet have reliable estimates of the extent to which the Omicron variant might be more transmissible or more resistant to vaccines, so it is too early to provide an evidence-based assessment of the risk it poses."
The count of daily cases in Quebec saw a sharp increase last week, with a tally of over 1,100 for several days in a row. In Monday's release, the province didn't address whether it believes this could still be due to Omicron taking hold after its one-day screening portrait, and it didn't say when it will provide the next update.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
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.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.