Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador are now reporting cases of the XBB.1.5 variant of the virus that causes COVID-19, reflecting a spread being reported around the globe.
Nova Scotia Health and Wellness confirmed the presence today of the variant – also known as Kraken – while Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department issued a release Thursday confirming its first case.
Spokespeople for health departments in the two provinces have said there’s so far no indication the sub-variant causes more severe illness than earlier mutations.
However, they say it is the most transmissible strain to date of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Prior mutations are still circulating and causing illness and death around the region.
Nova Scotia’s main health agency reported a total of 20 COVID-19 deaths in its first update of 2023, with one of the deaths occurring between Dec. 20 and Jan. 2, and the remaining 19 deaths from an unspecified time period.