Canada sees ‘steady increase’ in BQ variants as COVID hospitalizations, deaths decline

Clinical sequencing found some variants like BQ.1, BQ.1.1 and BF.7 on the rise in recent weeks, but previously dominant BA.5.2 and BA.5.2.1 lineages seem to be declining.

There has been a steady increase in immune-evasive Omicron variants across Canada, Health Canada’s latest COVID-19 epidemiology report shows.

Clinical sequencing found some variants like BQ.1, BQ.1.1 and BF.7 on the rise in recent weeks. BQ 1.1 increased by 2.5 percentage points, from 5.9 per cent in the week of Oct. 30 to 8.4 per cent in the week of Nov. 6.

However, according to the report, previously dominant BA.5.2 and BA.5.2.1 lineages seem to be declining.

BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 variants are one of the sub-lineages of the BA.5 Omicron variant, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The BQ variants both contain genetic mutations that make it harder for the immune system to recognize and neutralize the virus, which results in more people getting infected with COVID-19, Reuters reported.

For the week of Nov. 13 to Nov. 19, Canada had 15,085 COVID cases as compared to 15,682 cases for the week of Nov. 6 to Nov. 12, followed by a continued decline in virus-related deaths and hospitalizations.

Ontario was found to have the highest numbers with 5,730 cases, and Quebec came in second with a total of 5,324 cases. 

Ontario saw a decline in cases compared to the last period, which saw 6,863 cases.