Ontario confirms first case of South African COVID-19 variant

Ontario is reporting its first case of a new COVID-19 variant that emerged in South Africa late last year.

The province's chief medical officer says the case was found in Peel Region and the local public health unit is investigating.

Dr. David Williams says the person does not have a known history of travel or any known contact with someone who has travelled.

Williams says data from South Africa shows the variant has a higher viral load, meaning it may be more infectious.

It's one of three ``variants of concern'' that Public Health Ontario is ramping up screening for in the province.

Ontario has already recorded dozens of cases of the U.K. variant of COVID-19.

Six Nations students to do online learning for rest of school year

The Six Nations of the Grand River says that all students in the First Nations territory will finish this school year online.
Highway 400 closed in both directions due to series of collisions

Police say they have closed Highway 400 in both directions due to a series of vehicle collisions.
Ontario looking to see if it can follow B.C.'s footsteps to extend time between COVID doses

Ontario is asking the federal government for guidance on whether it can extend the interval between the first and second dose of its COVID-19 vaccines to four months.