TESTING PLAN TAKES AIM AT EVOLVING COVID-19 VARIANTS

Quebec announced an $11-million investment to ramp up its ability to identify COVID-19 variants as its public health institute reported Friday that two new cases of the U.K. variant have been identified in the province, up from six. Quebec said the plan is to quickly identify genetic mutations in the virus and measure their vaccine response. Dr. Michel Roger, the institute's chief microbiologist, said the province will be able to analyze 65,000 samples from positive test results by the end of 2021, with a focus on travellers, superspreader events and on people who get sick despite being vaccinated. Roger said four of the confirmed Quebec cases of the U.K. variant were linked to a student returning from Britain, who infected her parents and sister. “She didn't follow the guidelines,” he said. “It shows why it's important to.”