THUNDER BAY -- The Thunder Bay District Health Unit says they've detected 11 new COVID-19 cases tied to variants of concern.
The health unit on Monday announced 10 new cases, but confirmed the 11 variant cases, nearly doubling the number already announced in Thunder Bay, for a total of 24 this month. It takes longer to confirm variants of concern, which were later detected in previously announced cases.
Variant strains tend to spread more rapidly and often result in more serious illness.
With eight previous cases considered resolved, there are now 69 active cases in the district, the sixth straight reporting day that the active case count has grown. It was 49 on April 19.
Five of the new cases are considered close contact, with two related to travel outside of Northwestern Ontario and three of unknown origin.
There were no new deaths reported and the health unit says there are two fewer residents of the district in hospital with COVID-19.
There have been 3,070 COVID cases in the district since the start of the pandemic, with 2,939 considered to be resolved and there have been 69 deaths.
Thunder Bay District's seven day, per-100,000 case count rose to 38.68, the 11th straight days it's been under 40, the threshold to return to Orange should the region return to the province's colour-coded framework. Ontario is currently in lockdown until at least May 20.
