Nearly 100 cases of COVID variant first detected in South Africa confirmed in Abitibi-Tmiscamingue

The Abitibi-Tmiscamingue region of Quebechas so far had 94 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 variant that was first detected in South Africa, public health records show.

However, none of these cases are currently active.

Dr. Omobola Sobanjo, a consultant for the region's health authority, CISSS-AT, said on Thursday that there have beensix outbreaks of the variant since mid-February

"We currently have three other outbreaks that are underway for which we have presumptive cases, but no cases confirmed by sequencing," she said.

Health officials in Abitibi-Tmiscamingue, which is more than 400 kilometres northwest of Montreal, discovered two cases of a variant first identified in South Africa, B1351, among samples taken in early January.

Shortly after the Christmas holidays, when Quebec had temporarily relaxed public health measures, the region saw a sharp increase in infections.

And testing for the variant takes weeks, Sobanjo explained.

"We continue to do a lot of screening tests because we want to be able to control transmission, and moreover, things are going in the right direction," she said.

"We are seeing a decrease in the number of cases per week, we are also seeing a decrease in the number of active cases."

But people must continue to use caution, she added, because COVID-19 is still active in all parts of the region.

Vaccines now available for residents

The director of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Abitibi-Tmiscamingue, Katia Chteauvert, said that, as of the last week of March, officials will be able to administer vaccines in all sectors of the region.

"Which was not the case at the beginning," she said, but vaccination sites will by then be operating simultaneously everywhere.

The number of employees will be sufficient to meet the needs, but additional help would be welcome, she said.

"If there are people who want to come and give us a hand, it's always appreciated," said Chteauvert.

Like everywhere else in the province, people 70 and up are encouraged to make an appointment and get a dose of the potentially life saving vaccine. Officials say there are plenty of doses to go around.

"Each person vaccinated helps to strengthen the immunity of our population," said Dr. Lise Landry, director of the CISSS-AT.