The federal authorities is implementing a journey ban on a number of south African nations after a brand new COVID-19 variant was found there.
Well being Minister Jean-Yves Duclos introduced Friday the federal government will impose 5 measures in an effort to restrict the unfold of the brand new variant.
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WHO designates new COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’ as variant of concern
International nationals who’ve travelled via southern Africa previously 14 days gained’t be allowed into the nation, he mentioned. These nations embody South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
All those that’ve arrived in Canada within the final 14 days must quarantine and get examined for the virus. They must keep in isolation till they obtain a destructive take a look at outcome.
Canadian residents and everlasting residents coming from these nations should take a COVID-19 take a look at earlier than they return, and might want to quarantine at a delegated lodge till they obtain a destructive outcome.
After that, they’ll have the ability to quarantine at residence till they take a look at destructive 10 days after arrival.
International Affairs Canada will even problem an advisory towards journey to southern Africa, and Canadians coming back from that area who journey via one other nation should be examined in that nation earlier than they’ll come residence.
“We actually wish to be sure we’re doing all we will to guard the well being and security of Canadians,” Duclos mentioned.
The newest variant of concern: Omicron
The brand new variant, referred to as Omicron, was dubbed a variant of concern by the World Well being Group on Friday afternoon. It has spooked nations world wide for the reason that announcement of its discovery on Thursday.
Nice Britain, India, Japan, Israel and European Union nations are amongst these imposing journey bans Friday on a number of southern African nations the place the mutation was found.
The variant, also called B.1.1.529, has up to now been detected in South Africa and Botswana, in addition to in Israel, Belgium and Hong Kong.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public well being officer, mentioned Friday that Omicron is “uncommon” in that it has a number of mutations in two key areas of the virus’ spike protein.
“One space of mutations is within the spike receptor binding area, the place the virus attaches itself and invades our cells, which may signify a possible for elevated transmissibility of the virus,” she mentioned.
“The opposite space of mutations is in what’s known as the antigenic supersite, as a result of it’s a goal for our physique’s defensive or neutralizing antibodies.”
Tam mentioned well being officers are involved in regards to the new variant and are “carefully monitoring the evolving scenario.”
Whereas the information on Omicron up to now is taken into account preliminary, scientists aren’t positive whether or not the mutation is extra lethal, if will probably be extra dominant than the extremely contagious Delta variant, and whether it is able to evading present COVID-19 vaccines in circulation.
In South Africa, knowledge reveals COVID-19 instances rising. Greater than 1,200 had been reported on Wednesday and a pair of,465 on Thursday. This comes after weeks of the nation seeing a a lot smaller day by day case charge – round 200, the Nationwide Institute for Communicable Ailments in South Africa mentioned Thursday.
South Africa has a full vaccination charge of roughly 35 per cent.
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New COVID-19 variant has nations stopping air journey from southern Africa
On Friday morning, the WHO met to debate the variant. The group mentioned the primary recognized Omicron an infection was detected in a specimen collected on Nov. 9. It was knowledgeable in regards to the pressure by South African officers on Wednesday.
The WHO mentioned it could take weeks to find out how efficient vaccines are towards the variant and the way transmissible it’s. Nonetheless, preliminary proof suggests an elevated danger of reinfection with this variant, it mentioned.
WHO calls fall on deaf ears
The WHO additionally got here out towards journey restrictions in mild of the brand new variant on Friday, although many nations have accomplished so anyway.
“At this level, implementing journey measures is being cautioned towards,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier informed a U.N. briefing. “The WHO recommends that nations proceed to use a risk-based and scientific method when implementing (curbs).”
America is the most recent to affix the rising group of nations banning journey from South Africa and different African nations by non-U.S. residents. The ban is ready to start Monday.
As a number of nations react to the invention, one epidemiologist in Hong Kong informed Reuters it might be too late to tighten journey curbs.
“Almost certainly this virus is already elsewhere. And so if we shut the door now, it’s going to be in all probability too late,” mentioned Ben Cowling of the College of Hong Kong.
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Throughout the information convention, Tam informed reporters it wouldn’t be shocking if Omicron was already in Canada.
“It’s very troublesome to maintain a virus like this out completely,” she mentioned. “I don’t suppose folks needs to be shocked if we did get a detection.”
COVID-19 has swept the world within the nearly two years because it was first recognized in central China, infecting nearly 260 million folks and killing 5.4 million, Reuters experiences.
— with information from Reuters and The Related Press
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