New Omicron sub-variant is in Manitoba, province says

New COVID sub-variants are in Manitoba Scientists watching trends say a mutated Omicron variant, called BA.5, is highly transmissible. CTV's Michelle Gerwing reports.

New sub-variants of COVID-19 are in Manitoba, with scientists watching trends warning the mutated version of the Omicron variant called BA.5 is highly transmissible.

Sandy Wilson thought she was immune to COVID-19 and was surprised to find out she had been infected.

"I had been exposed to it a number of times and I was really surprised to get it," she said, adding she has also been hearing of a lot of other people who have it right now too.

While it is hard to tell how many cases there have been, provincial surveillance estimates one in 10 cases are BA.5.

"BA.5 is evident in Manitoba and comprises about 10 per cent of isolates sequenced. The province is targeting to sample at least 10 per cent or at least ~100 samples per week," a provincial spokesperson told CTV News.

According to the most recent Manitoba weekly COVID-19 report, the virus activity is decreasing. The federal wastewater data is similar.

However, other countries including the U.S. are dealing with the new versions of the Omicron variant which is taking over as the dominant strain.

"I know it sounds like we say this every time, but this is the nature of viruses," said Epidemiologist Cynthia Carr, founder of EPI Research. "They evolve and get better at what they want to do. These are highly transmissible viruses."

Carr said BA.5 seems to be spreading more efficiently. Like the Delta variant, this new variant is latching and holding on to cells and antibodies may not recognize it as easily.

She said cases in Canada are starting to creep up, the opposite from previous summers when the province saw a creep down

"It's not a pattern we are happy to see and so we could have some experiences like there are in other countries," Carr said, adding it's not clear how big an increase in cases there could be.