Health officials say a newly identified COVID-19 variant circulating in Ontario is not expected to cause the same level of strain on hospitals that was seen earlier in the pandemic, although vulnerable populations remain at higher risk. The variant, known as BA.3.2., has been detected in multiple countries and is now being monitored by public health authorities across Canada.
The variant was first identified in South Africa in late 2024 and later detected through traveller surveillance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. According to the CDC, the strain has since appeared in at least 23 countries, including Canada. Data from Public Health Ontario shows 21 confirmed cases in the province between mid January and mid February of this year.
Infectious disease specialist Isaac Bogoch said the province is unlikely to experience hospitalization levels similar to those recorded in 2020 and 2021. He explained that widespread vaccination, prior infections, and the ongoing circulation of the virus have strengthened population level immunity compared with earlier stages of the pandemic.
Bogoch noted that COVID-19 continues to pose risks, particularly for older adults, immunocompromised individuals, and those with underlying health conditions. However, he emphasized that the overall impact of newer variants is reduced because most people are no longer encountering the virus for the first time.
Recent surveillance data from Public Health Ontario reported a provincial test positivity rate of 4.7 percent during the week of March 22 to March 28, along with 393 lab confirmed cases, just over 150 hospital admissions, and 20 outbreaks. Health experts say COVID-19 remains present in the healthcare system but is now managed as part of routine clinical care rather than the large scale emergency response seen earlier in the pandemic.
