1st Canadian case of highly mutated COVID-19 virus variant BA.2.86 detected in B.C.

Health officials in British Columbia say they have detected the first known Canadian case of the BA.2.86 COVID-19 virus variant.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control confirmed it was found in a person in the Fraser Health region, east of Vancouver, who has not travelled outside of the province.

In a joint statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said they are monitoring the variant but added it “was not unexpected” for it to show up in B.C. or in Canada.

“So far, there does not seem to be increased severity with this strain of COVID and the individual is not hospitalized,” the statement reads.

Wastewater data reported by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control on Aug. 23 found viral loads are decreasing in Metro Vancouver treatment plants and are stable or rising slightly in plants in Interior Health and Island Health regions. 

BA.2.86 was deemed a variant under monitoring by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Aug. 17.

Though only a handful of samples exist, its emergence across several continents since it was first identified in late July, coupled with its unusually high number of mutations, has put COVID watchers on high alert.

But it is still difficult to predict whether it will lead to any increase in severity of spread or infection, virologists say.

Earlier this month, the WHO bumped up an Omicron subvariant called EG.5  from a variant under monitoring to a variant of interest. This is the second-highest ranking after variant of concern. 

For now, health officials in B.C. are offering the same advice: stay home when sick, wear masks as needed, wash hands frequently and stay up to date on vaccinations.

A grassroots group of health professionals is calling on the province to reinstate mask mandates in B.C. schools and hospitals to prevent a repeat “tripledemic” of COVID-19, RSV and influenza infections that pushed the province’s hospitals to the brink last fall.