12 residents at North Bay apartment building test positive for same COVID-19 variant

The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit says a dozen people connected to the COVID-19 outbreak at the Skyline-Lancelot Apartments are positive for the variant originating from South Africa.

As of Feb. 26, the health unit reports 42 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in connection with the apartment building outbreak.

Three cases are still considered active and two individuals have died.

"It is now clear that we have an outbreak of the COVID-19 VOC(variant of concern)that emerged from South Africa," said Dr. Jim Chirico, medical officer of health in a news release.

"Although it was expected that there were more cases of the VOC originating from South Africa, it is concerning due to how contagious this variant is."

The health unit is saying it is "critical that residents of Lancelot and other multi-unit dwellings continue to follow public health measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and its variants."

More stories from CBC Sudbury