The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit released its new weekend numbers and they are not good.
The Health Unit is reporting 12 new COVID-19 cases in the region dating back to February 5.
The rise in numbers on the heels of a health unit release noting a cluster of cases had been identified from an apartment complex.
Six of those individuals who tested positive are in the 60 to 79 age range, three in the 40 to 59 range, and three others in the 20 to 39 age range.
All 12 new cases are within the Nipissing portion of the Health Unit District.
One individual in the 60 to 79 age category is isolating in hospital, while the other 11 are isolating.
Currently, there are 17 active cases in Nipissing and two active cases in Parry Sound.
See related: Cluster group of COVID-19 identified in the district
The North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit stated on Saturday that a "cluster or group of COVID-19 cases" have been identified that have no connection other than living in the same apartment building.
"The people are unknown to each other," says a news release.
"Due to the small number of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 in the Health Unit’s district, this has raised concern. This is especially worrying as one of the people who tested positive had a preliminary confirmation of a COVID-19 Variant of Concern."
The Health Unit did not identify the building, nor whether it was in Nipissing or Parry Sound however given the North Bay Assessment Centre is involved, it would appear to be local.
On Thursday, the Health Unit confirmed its first case of a COVID-19 Variant of Concern (VOC). It's also believed to be the first in northern Ontario.
