Omicron recognized in all 4 Atlantic provinces after first case reported in N.L.

The Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus has reached all 4 Atlantic provinces, after Newfoundland and Labrador on Wednesday confirmed its first case of the mutation believed to be extra infectious than Delta.

However in contrast to the opposite three provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador didn’t make a hyperlink between its case of Omicron and the COVID-19 outbreak at a college in Nova Scotia. Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, chief medical officer of well being, mentioned the supply of the an infection has been linked to journey inside Canada.

“It spreads extra simply from individual to individual,” Fitzgerald mentioned of the brand new variant. “Whereas Delta continues to be the predominant pressure in Canada, it’s possible solely a matter of time earlier than Omicron replaces it.”

Noting that COVID-19 instances are climbing as soon as once more throughout the nation, Fitzgerald informed a information convention that anybody getting back from a post-secondary establishment exterior the province will need to have a PCR take a look at upon arrival or self-isolate for 2 weeks. Within the coming days, the province may even start offering all arriving travellers with a package deal of take-home speedy take a look at kits, she added.

Fitzgerald mentioned 13 new instances of COVID-19 had been recognized within the province since Monday.

Omicron instances in each New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island have been tied to an early December outbreak at St. Francis Xavier College in Antigonish, N.S.

In Nova Scotia on Wednesday, officers reported 178 new COVID-19 instances and mentioned six folks have been hospitalized with the illness, together with two sufferers in intensive care.

On Tuesday, the province’s Well being Division linked a complete of 344 constructive instances to the college outbreak, which has resulted in tightened public well being measures that can go into impact Friday. Restrictions embody new indoor and outside gathering limits.

Nova Scotia officers additionally introduced Wednesday that almost all public college college students will begin their vacation break early, with no courses after Friday. The transfer got here after officers introduced final week that the vacation break can be prolonged by two days to Jan. 6.

In the meantime, the Halifax Mooseheads junior hockey crew mentioned Wednesday they have been sticking to their plan to advance one in every of their dwelling video games to keep away from the brand new cap on gathering limits imposed by the province. Workforce spokesman Scott MacIntosh mentioned in an electronic mail the house recreation scheduled for Friday on the Scotiabank Centre would as a substitute be performed on Thursday. A recreation set for Wednesday night time would additionally happen, he added.

Premier Tim Houston has criticized the choice by the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League crew. Houston mentioned Tuesday he gave advance discover about Friday’s new gathering limits to permit folks to arrange, to not “get in entrance of the modifications.”

Beginning Friday, organized gatherings similar to sports activities and cultural occasions can be capped at 50 per cent capability, to a most of 150 folks indoors. Personal indoor gatherings can be restricted to twenty folks.

In New Brunswick, Well being Minister Dorothy Shephard confirmed Wednesday that the province had found 11 new Omicron instances, bringing the province’s complete to 14. The minister reported 160 new instances of COVID-19, and as of Wednesday, the province was coping with 1,114 lively instances, together with 42 in hospital — 14 of these in intensive care.

Shephard additionally introduced the province was taking steps to maintain schoolchildren protected by introducing a “vacation testing blitz.” The entire province’s school-aged college students – from kindergarten to Grade 12 – can be supplied with speedy take a look at kits for use at dwelling over the vacations.

“These assessments will assist us rapidly establish new infections and gradual the unfold,” Shephard informed a information convention in Fredericton.

Shephard mentioned solely 31 per cent of the province’s kids between the ages of 5 and 11 have acquired their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. As of Wednesday, younger kids and teenagers accounted for the most important group of recent each day infections, she added.

“It has been a problem to gradual the speed of an infection amongst this group,” Shephard mentioned.

Additionally on Wednesday, New Brunswick’s schooling minister, Dominic Cardy, introduced an in depth plan for stopping the unfold of the virus in faculties and child-care amenities by means of the winter months.

“That is about managing dangers and including layers of safety,” Cardy mentioned as he introduced the modifications, which can take impact when college resumes Jan. 10 after the Christmas break and can be aligned with the province’s COVID-19 alert system.

Prince Edward Island well being officers introduced 11 new COVID-19 instances Wednesday. They mentioned the instances are linked to both journey exterior the province, shut contacts of earlier instances or recognized public publicity websites. There are at the moment 43 lively instances within the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Dec. 15, 2021.

— With recordsdata from Sarah Smellie in St. John’s, N.L., and Michael MacDonald in Halifax.

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