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.
