More cases connected to North Bay, Ont., apartment outbreak with COVID-19 variant One of the cases has been identified as the variant first detected in South Africa while further testing is underway to determine the strain involved in the others.[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]The region’s top doctor, Dr.
Jim Chirico, says public health authorities are working to curb the spread of variants to prevent future deaths.COVID-19 variants are believed to be more contagious and experts have raised concerns about their spread in the province..