Toronto reports first three cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant

Toronto reported Friday its first three cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, bringing the total known cases in Ontario to 11.

In a news release, Toronto Public Health (TPH) said two of the three residents who tested positive for the variant of concern (B.1.1.529) had returned from a trip to Nigeria while the other one travelled to Switzerland.

"These are the first cases of the Omicron variant of concern which have been confirmed by whole genome sequencing, reported in Toronto," TPH said in a statement Friday evening.

"TPH's case and contact management team is currently following up with these cases and is providing instructions to identify close contacts on isolation and testing."

Dr. Anna Banerji, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, said she is concerned but not surprised that one of the cases involved a traveller who did not return from one of the southern African countries affected by the federal government's travel restrictions.