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       #Post#: 4971--------------------------------------------------
       Ontario hospital reports Covid-19 outbreak of unknown scale; Mas
       king now required
       By: Steve Date: February 1, 2026, 12:14 pm
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       SUMMARY - Sault Area Hospital in Ontario has reported a Covid-19
       outbreak of unknown scale on the "2C Unit." Visitors and
       essential caregivers are to wear personal protective equipment
       when in a patient’s room.
       LINK -
  HTML https://www.saultstar.com/news/covid-19-outbreak-declared-on-sault-area-hospital-unit
  HTML https://www.saultstar.com/news/covid-19-outbreak-declared-on-sault-area-hospital-unit
       #Post#: 4995--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Ontario hospital reports Covid-19 outbreak of unknown scale;
        Masking now required
       By: Steve Date: February 2, 2026, 2:01 pm
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       SUMMARY - A Covid-19 outbreak has now spread to a second unit in
       the Sault Area Hospital in Ontario. The new area of the outbreak
       is "Unit 1B" which is designated as a Transition Care Unit to
       support patients who often require an alternative level of care.
       COMMENTARY - It's almost as if this Covid-19 thing is still
       infectious...
       LINK -
  HTML https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/local-hospital-now-has-covid-19-outbreak-in-two-units-11822852
  HTML https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/local-hospital-now-has-covid-19-outbreak-in-two-units-11822852
       #Post#: 4996--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Ontario hospital reports Covid-19 outbreak of unknown scale;
        Masking now required
       By: Masked Man Date: February 2, 2026, 3:23 pm
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       I always think it's interesting to make attempts to find out
       what variant or variants are in that area. I'm not sure what is
       involved but I am surprised the hospital doesn't tell us what
       variant it is. For lack of a better resource I have gone to AI
       to help us make assumptions as to what variant it is. I just
       think the more we know the better...
       The Sault Area Hospital (SAH)
       do not typically release specific variant data (such as JN.1,
       XFG, or others) in their public notifications
       "COVID-19 Variant: While specific genomic sequencing results for
       the Sault Ste. Marie area are not typically released in daily,
       public-facing hospital updates, the current dominant variants in
       Canada as of January 2026 are subvariants of Omicron (such as
       XFG and its sublineages), which are known to be highly
       transmissible."
       also,
       "Circulating Variants
       While SAH's local announcements focus on safety protocols rather
       than specific genetic sequencing for every case, broader health
       data for early 2026 indicates:
       Dominant Strains: In Ontario and across Canada, the XFG
       subvariant (sometimes called the "stratus" variant) is the most
       prevalent, accounting for over 50% of recent cases.
       Other Subvariants: Other circulating Omicron-descended
       strains include XFG.14.1, XFV, and NB.1.8.1."
       ...You would think it is important that "Hospitals and public
       health agencies track and release information on COVID-19
       variants to identify how the virus is changing, which is crucial
       for managing public health, optimizing treatments, and updating
       vaccines
       . By using genomic surveillance to identify specific
       variants—such as the currently dominant Omicron
       sublineages—experts can determine if a new strain is more
       contagious, more severe, or able to evade immunity from prior
       infections or vaccinations".
       Curiously enough when I do ask AI why the hospital doesn't tell
       us what variant it is? AI replies: it might be because of
       Privacy and Confidentiality (PHIPA/FIPPA) act (I don't see how
       to name a variant would prove a breach of confidentiality )  and
       AI also says it can  take several days, creating a "reporting
       lag" that makes real-time, public-facing, variant-specific data
       less accurate.
       ..maybe the hospitals tell us at later date in a summary of some
       sort which variants are at play.. I dunno.maybe they tell the
       CDC ..if the CDC still exists in that capacity .. I'm in the US
       ..so who knows!? Nothing seems very certain in the US right
       insofar as government agencies go..
       ...not to get to far off base here with  with Steves thread,
       maybe the following answers my questions and America will never
       see or know what variant is occurring at The Sault Area Hospital
       SUMMARY:
       Dozens of CDC databases aren't being updated , study finds Jan.
       26, 2026,
       LINK:
  HTML https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-databases-not-updated-vaccines-study-rcna255467
       &
       Nearly half of CDC databases aren’t being updated as experts
       sound alarm over gaps in health data
       Julia Musto
       Mon, January 26, 2026
       LINK:
  HTML https://ca.news.yahoo.com/nearly-half-cdc-databases-aren-010949817.html
       ..so much for the scientific method and inquiry in America! Good
       Grief! A center of disease control that doesn't track covid
       variants!?
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