Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

User AvatarBuild your avatar
Please select your date of birth for special perks on your birthday. Your username will be your unique profile link and will be publicly used in comments.
Narcity Pro

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with Narcity Pro.

Pro

$5/month

$40/year

  • Everything in the Free plan
  • Ad-free reading and browsing
  • Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
  • Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
  • Cancel anytime.
For Pro members only Pro
Summary

Ontario Officials Confirm They Haven't Found The New UK COVID-19 Strain In The Province

And they think their testing equipment will be able to spot the variant.
Ontario Officials Confirm They Haven't Found The New UK COVID-19 Strain In The Province
Shawngoldberg | Dreamstime
Staff Writer

Health officials in Ontario confirmed to Narcity that they hadn't found the new U.K. COVID-19 strain in the province. 

The confirmation comes a day after the federal government announced they were cancelling all incoming flights from the United Kingdom for 72 hours because of the new strain.

Editor's Choice: All Of Ontario Is Officially Going Into Full Lockdown Starting On Boxing Day

We are continuing to actively monitor for SARS-CoV-2 variants. Public Health Ontario

Public Health Ontario confirmed to Narcity over email that they were aware of the new strain of COVID-19, which the U.K. government believes is more contagious than earlier types of the virus.

But they said more information was needed to find out if it was more contagious or not.

"In terms of transmissibility, there is still more information and research that is needed before we know if the U.K. variant is more transmissible than other variants of the SARS-CoV-2," PHO said.

PHO said they have tested over 4,300 samples of COVID-19 as part of a scientific "surveillance program" that's designed to find new strains of COVID-19, and they have not found the U.K. variant in the province.

And PHO said that current information and data suggest the Ontario's diagnostic testing systems will still be able to pick up the U.K. variant and flag it.

"However, we continue to be cautious and alert to any new evidence that emerges," PHO said.

covid-19
TorontoCanadaNewsNews
  • Cormac O'Brien
    Cormac O'Brien was an Associate Editor at Narcity Canada, covering all things exciting and trending about Canada. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Journalism from the University of Victoria, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the campus newspaper and was awarded the BCYNA Community News Scholarship for his writing. He was also the producer and co-host of Now On Narcity, Narcity's flagship podcast.

Costco, Walmart or Loblaws? Here's which store has the cheapest holiday chocolates

We compared prices of classics like Turtles, Quality Street, and more. 🎄

Highway 407 ETR rates are going up in 2026 but some Ontario drivers can get free trips

Some tolls will be over $1 per kilometre, depending on where you're driving.

This Ontario town turns into a 'real-life Hallmark movie' with sparkling streets and cozy shops

You'll feel like you're wandering through a scene from a holiday film.

CSIS has these jobs available in Canadian cities and you can make up to $129,000

Some positions don't require a university degree.

A tiny island 6 hours from Toronto ranked among the top destinations for Canadians in 2026

It's got turquoise waters, sugary sand and even a "drive-in volcano." 🌊

This Ontario canal town turns into a magical old-world Christmas village straight out of Europe

No plane ticket needed.

This mountain-style village in Ontario feels like a tiny European ski town during the holidays

It has cobblestone streets and sparkling shops.

This Ontario village is a real-life Christmas movie set with glittery lights and train rides

It's like stepping into a Hallmark film.