VARIANT CASES HAVE MOVED AS FAR NORTH AS KAPUSKASING

Ontario has confirmed more than 100 cases of the U.K. variant — and its first South African variant this past Tuesday. The variants had previously been recorded only in the province's southern regions. But Public Health Sudbury and Districts said Friday that it had confirmed one case of the U.K. strain and that three other likely variant cases were being investigated — two among international travellers completing quarantine, and one a close contact of a variant case. On Thursday, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit confirmed its first variant case, related to international travel. The Porcupine Health Unit, which serves the Timmins area, reported Thursday a possible variant case linked to a long-term-care outbreak in Kapuskasing.