Canada has detected two first cases of contamination by the new coronavirus variant discovered in the UK, Ontario health authorities announced on Saturday.
“The cases are a couple from Durham who have no history of travel, exposure (to viruses), or high-risk contacts,” said the Ministry of Health of this province, the most populous in the country, in a statement.
The couple was put in solitary confinement, the note states, the same day Ontario reinstated a several-week confinement due to a sharp rise in the covid-19 epidemic since early December.
Canada suspended all flights from the United Kingdom until January 6 after the new strain of virus appeared in that country.
Several countries announced on Saturday that they had identified confirmed cases of the British variant, such as Italy, Sweden, Spain and Japan, following contagions previously reported by France, Germany, Lebanon or Denmark.
The discovery of these first cases in the Canadian province “reinforces the need for the people of Ontario to stay at home as much as possible and to continue to respect public health guidelines, especially confinement measures in the province,” which came into force today, “recalled Dr. Barbara Yaffe, deputy head of local health authorities.
The refurbishment in Ontario, which has a population of 14 million and is headquartered in Toronto, will last 28 days in the south of the province and 14 in the north.
The new rules especially prohibit indoor private gatherings beyond the family circle. Essential shops, such as grocery stores or pharmacies, may remain open but other establishments, such as restaurants, should be limited to dispatching orders or home deliveries.
Canada recorded more than 534,000 cases and more than 14,700 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began on Saturday.