BC 18 cases of new COVID-19 variants have been detected in B.C. Health officials announce 1,158 more cases confirmed over the last three days and 21 more deaths. A total of 18 people have been identified with infections of new variants of the novel coronavirus in B.C., an issue that Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says is one of the most concerning facing the province right now. During Monday's daily briefing, Henry said that 14 cases of the variant first reported in the U.K. have been confirmed here, along with four of the variant from South Africa. She pointed out that Ontario is starting to see community transmission of the new variants, and B.C. health officials are stepping up surveillance to track the spread of these more infectious versions. "This is one of the things that is factoring into all of the decisions that we have to make together over the coming weeks," Henry said. Monday's update is the first since Friday. Henry said B.C. health officials have confirmed 1,158 more cases of COVID-19 over the last three days and another 21 people have died. India The Mystery Of India's Plummeting COVID-19 Cases Last September, India was confirming nearly 100,000 new coronavirus cases a day. It was on track to overtake the United States to become the country with the highest reported COVID-19 caseload in the world. Hospitals were full. The Indian economy nosedived into an unprecedented recession. But four months later, India's coronavirus numbers have plummeted. Late last month, on Jan. 26, the country's Health Ministry confirmed a record low of about 9,100 new daily cases — in a country of nearly 1.4 billion people. It was India's lowest daily tally in eight months. On Monday, India confirmed about 11,000 cases. Scientists say it's a mystery. They're probing why India's coronavirus numbers have declined so dramatically — and so suddenly, in September and October, months before any vaccinations began. Serological surveys — random testing for antibodies — show that a majority of people in certain areas of India may have already been exposed to the coronavirus, without developing symptoms. Last week, preliminary findings from a fifth serological study of 28,000 people in India's capital showed that 56% of residents already have antibodies, though a final report has not yet been published. The figures were higher in more crowded areas. Last summer, another survey by Mumbai's health department and a government think tank found that 57% of Mumbai slum-dwellers and 16% of people living in other areas had antibodies suggesting prior exposure to the coronavirus. But many experts caution that herd immunity — a controversial term, they say — would only begin to be achieved if at least 60% to 80% of the population had antibodies. It's also unclear whether antibodies convey lasting immunity and, if so, for how long. More serological surveys are needed, they say.

toronto COVID-19 outbreak at Toronto meat plant linked to B117 variant, city says City reports 961 new cases of COVID-19, 18 more deaths Toronto Public Health (TPH) has confirmed the first workplace COVID-19 outbreak where employees have tested positive for the B117 variant. The outbreak occurred at Belmont Meats, a production facility near Highway 400 and Steeles Avenue West. There are 78 confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to the workplace outbreak, with two of those people testing positive for the B117 variant first detected in the U.K. Employees who have tested positive are now in quarantine for 14 days and monitoring for symptoms, a spokesperson for Belmont Meats said in a statement to CBC Toronto. "We have asked all our other employees and everyone who has had close contact with them to get tested as soon as possible, self-isolate and monitor for any COVID-19 related symptoms," the statement reads. Toronto's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa said the city will be conducting more testing in the coming days to see if others were also infected by a novel coronavirus variant. The facility said it made "significant investments and implemented stringent safety protocols" to protect employees and prevent further spread of the virus." uk South Africa variant: Urgent Covid testing after community cases found Around 80,000 people in England will be offered urgent tests for the South Africa coronavirus variant after cases with no links to travel were found. Residents aged 16 and over in eight areas across Surrey, London, Kent, Hertfordshire, Southport and Walsall are being asked to take tests, regardless of symptoms. The health secretary said the UK must come down "hard" on the variant. Previous cases in the UK were connected to South Africa. But random checks found 11 cases that could not be linked to international travel. Matt Hancock told a Downing Street news conference on Monday that there was "currently no evidence" to suggest the South African variant was "any more severe, but we need to come down on it hard, and we will".