By Canadian Press

British Columbia has 18 cases of U.K., South African COVID-19 variants

Feb 1, 2021 | 5:04 PM

VANCOUVER — British Columbia has 18 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 variants that originated in South Africa and the United Kingdom, with seven of those emerging over the weekend.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says all 14 cases of the U.K. strain are connected to travel, but the four cases of the South African variant have no link to international trips.

She says officials are working to determine how the individuals contracted the South African strain and the variants continue to be “concerning” because they may spread more easily.

Henry says a contact of someone with one of the variants attends Garibaldi Secondary School in Maple Ridge and about 80 people who were in a cohort with the teen are being tested.

B.C.’s top doctor adds that Super Bowl Sunday and Family Day are on the horizon and she’s urging B.C. residents not to hold parties or celebrate with anyone from outside their household.

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Health Minister Adrian Dix also says that about 100 Canadian Red Cross members are being sent to five long-term care or assisted living facilities to help exhausted staff grappling with COVID-19 outbreaks.

There were a total of 1,158 new COVID-19 cases over the past three days and 21 more deaths in the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2021.

The Canadian Press