A highly transmissible COVID-19 variant's been detected in the region.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts says the new Omicron subvariant, XBB - including XBB.1.5 - has been found in its service area, noting it may be the most transmissible variant detected to date and projections for this week are that it will make up over 20% of all strains detected in Ontario.
In response, the health unit's urging everyone continue practicing personal protective measures, particularly staying up-to-date with vaccinations, getting the bivalent booster when eligible - it will hold an “appointment only” vaccination clinic for those at least twelve years old at its Chapleau office this Thursday.
This comes as Public Health Sudbury and Districts is reporting two COVID-19 deaths in Greater Sudbury - one in which it was the underlying cause, another in which it contributed but was not the underlying cause - bringing its death toll to 199 - 173 in the city - it last reported a death Wednesday.
The health unit's also reporting 28 new cases since Wednesday - 25 in Greater Sudbury, two in the broader Sudbury District, and one in the Manitoulin District - though known "active" cases stayed at 112 - nineteen in hospital, one in an ICU.
There are no longer any "active" cases listed for the northern Sudbury District (which includes Chapleau, Cartier, Foleyet, Gogama, and neighbouring First Nations).