New Omicron sub-variant is in Manitoba, province says
New sub-variants of COVID-19 are in Manitoba, with scientists watching trends warning the mutated version of the Omicron variant called BA.5 is highly transmissible.
Sandy Wilson thought she was immune to COVID-19 and was surprised to find out she had been infected.
"I had been exposed to it a number of times and I was really surprised to get it," she said, adding she has also been hearing of a lot of other people who have it right now too.
While it is hard to tell how many cases there have been, provincial surveillance estimates one in 10 cases are BA.5.
"BA.5 is evident in Manitoba and comprises about 10 per cent of isolates sequenced. The province is targeting to sample at least 10 per cent or at least ~100 samples per week," a provincial spokesperson told CTV News.
According to the most recent Manitoba weekly COVID-19 report, the virus activity is decreasing. The federal wastewater data is similar.
However, other countries including the U.S. are dealing with the new versions of the Omicron variant which is taking over as the dominant strain.
"I know it sounds like we say this every time, but this is the nature of viruses," said Epidemiologist Cynthia Carr, founder of EPI Research. "They evolve and get better at what they want to do. These are highly transmissible viruses."
Carr said BA.5 seems to be spreading more efficiently. Like the Delta variant, this new variant is latching and holding on to cells and antibodies may not recognize it as easily.
She said cases in Canada are starting to creep up, the opposite from previous summers when the province saw a creep down
"It's not a pattern we are happy to see and so we could have some experiences like there are in other countries," Carr said, adding it's not clear how big an increase in cases there could be.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.