Coronavirus variant first seen in India should be taken more seriously in Manitoba: ICU doctor

A Winnipeg intensive care doctor is worried a coronavirus variant of concern that's spread rapidly throughout India and hampered the U.K.'s reopening efforts is gaining a foothold in Manitoba.

On Wednesday, the provincial data portal reported 171 more cases involving highly contagious coronavirus variants, including 14 cases of the B1617 variant of concern, which is associated with a surge of cases in India and is impairing the country's health-care system.

Two of those cases are a result of community transmission, although all 14 are recovered at this time.

Dr. Anand Kumar, a Winnipeg intensive care physician and infectious disease specialist believes there could be more cases of B1617 in the province.

"It's a big deal," he said. "I don't think it's been appreciated, the risk that the particular variant carries."

Manitoba's first case of the variant was reported on May 7.

The B1617 variant is the fourth variant to be designated as being of global concern and requiring heightened tracking and analysis. The others are those first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil.

Elsewhere in the world, the strain has been disastrous.

Most notably in India, the more contagious coronavirus variant has contributed to the deaths of thousands.

Data from the ministry of health shows more than 4,500 people have died since Tuesday, bringing the total to 283,248.

There are 3,226,719 active cases as of Wednesday.

In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week the spread of the variant could disrupt Britain's progress out of lockdown, making it more difficult to move to the final stage of a staggered reopening of the economy in June.

Chris Whitty, the country's chief medical officer, said B1617 could come to dominate in Britain.

These surges in other countries should be seen as warnings for Canada and Manitoba, Kumar says.

"Given how much more infectious that it is than B117, in my mind, there's a very high likelihood of a fourth wave if we don't keep the restrictions in place until the numbers are at a much more manageable level," he said.