Testing confirms B117 coronavirus variant not present in Pauingassi First Nation

The National Microbiology Laboratory has confirmed that the coronavirus variant first detected in the U.K. was not found in somesamples from Pauingassi First Nation, the community said in a news release on Tuesday.

The initialscreening done by the province looks for a genetic markera key mutationthat indicates a sample mightbe a virus variant of concern.

The coronavirus variant found inPauingassi First Nation shares that genetic marker with the B117 variant, but the fullsequencing has shown that the samplesfor which sequencing was successfulare negative for the B117variant.

The B117 virus variant wasn't found in five of the seven samples,Dr. Marcia Anderson, the public health lead with the Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Response Coordination Team, saidin an interview on CBC Manitoba'sRadio Noonon Tuesday.

"Thank you to everyone who has reached out, provided assistance and shown support for our Nation at this time. While we are not out of the woods yet, so to speak, it is a great relief that we are not in fact dealing with the B117U.K. variantof concern," PauingassiFirst NationChief Roddy Owens wrote in a release.

Manitoba's chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussinsays virus variants are common with mRNA viruses like the novel coronavirus.

This one identified in Pauingassi First Nation has "no clinical significance," he said in a press conference on Tuesdaymeaning it's not more contagious or deadly than other strains which causeCOVID-19.

He added that all provincialCOVID-19 samples from the beginning of February onare being sent for further analysis to check for possible variants.

"It's really important that we keep these variants of concern from grabbing a foothold in our community, or it will really have a negative impact on our ability to reopen," Roussinsaid.

"We're going to see variants of concern that may increase transmission, we could see some that may increase the severity in some individuals and then we we need to consider the possibility that we'll see variants that escape the vaccine. And so these are all things that we have to be aware of."

WATCH | Dr. Roussin on variants of concern:

Dr. Brent Roussin says COVID-19 fundamentals still essential in light of coronavirus variants

4 years ago

Duration 0:45

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba's chief public health officer, said Tuesday the province must continue to follow COVID-19 fundamentals, especially as Canada identifies more cases of coronavirus variants of concern.

On Saturday, Pauingassi First Nation, a fly-in communityabout 280 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, announced the possible cases of the coronavirus variant of concern.

Pimicikamak treating possible variant as positive for now

On Monday, Pimicikamak, also known as Cross Lake First Nation, also announced one probable case.

Anderson says that sample hasn't yet been tested by the National Microbiology Lab.

"We need to still continue to act as though it might be [B117] until we have confirmation that it's not, just to ensure we are taking every conservative and aggressive measure that we can to avoid any spread," she said.

Chief David Monias said in a Facebook Live the same daythere are now 107 COVID-19 cases and 300 close contacts self-isolating in the community 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

In addition to DNA markers similar to the B117 variant, Monias says the alarming spread of the virus in the community hadhim worried about a virus variant of concern.

"It went from one person to the next, and one household to the next very quickly," he said. "The transmission of the virus was increased than when we had the first and second wave. So I think that's why they suspected it."

He's calling for additional support from the federal government and for the Canadian Armed Forces to come help combat the virus.

To date, there is only one confirmed case of a variant of concern in Manitoba.The personhad travelled fromAfricatoEuropeand then to Winnipeg before testing positive.Five household contacts were toldtoself-isolate.