Two more cases of the new U.K. variant of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Canada - one in Ontario, another in B.C.
There are reports that a Vancouver Island resident, who travelled from the U.K. on December 15th, tested positive for the new variant.
Public health officials in Ontario say that someone from Ottawa, who recently returned from the United Kingdom tested positive with the new strain of the virus. That brings the total in Ontario to 3 confirmed cases of the new strain of COVID-19.
Yesterday, the province of Ontario confirmed the first two cases in Canada - a couple from Durham Region - who tested positive for the new variant, which was first detected in Britain.
In a news release, the province of Ontario says that additional investigation and follow-up case and contact management, has revealed that the couple "had indeed been in contact with a recent traveller from the UK."
The cases and contacts have been informed and are now in self-isolation as per public health protocols.
Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health says, "This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures." She adds, "This is also an important reminder about the need for arriving international travelers to maintain quarantine for 14 days."
Confirmation of the three Ontario cases stemming from inbound international travel has prompted the province to, once again, call on the federal government to take urgent action to partner with Ontario to implement testing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport and "strengthen oversight of quarantine."
The Ontario Government has previously said, if the feds don't step up to provide support, the province is prepared "to act on its own to implement an airport testing program".
Newstalk1010 will continue to follow this developing story and bring you updates as we get them.
With files from the Province of Ontario