Two cases of the quickly-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus have been reported in Canada, officers confirmed Sunday.
Both cases have been reported in the province of Ontario with people who had lately traveled to Africa.
“Today, the province of Ontario has confirmed two cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Ottawa, both of which were reported in individuals with recent travel from Nigeria. Ottawa Public Health is conducting case and contact management and the patients are in isolation,”officers stated in a press release.
The probably extra infectious variant of the virus is now proper throughout the northern border from the United States, the place no cases have but been confirmed. White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci has prompt that the variant might already be spreading domestically.
Canada applied new journey restrictions from a number of African international locations on Friday, notably not together with Nigeria the place officers stated the 2 omicron-infected sufferers had traveled from.
A fuel station attendant stands subsequent to a newspaper headline in South Africa, the place the Omicron variant was first recognized. AP / Denis Farrell
Foreign nationals who’ve traveled to South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Namibia throughout the earlier 14 days is not going to be permitted into Canada. The measure is in impact till Jan. 31, 2022.
Canadian residents who had traveled to the international locations shall be “subject to enhanced testing, screening and quarantine measures,” earlier than they’re readmitted into the nation.
“The Government of Canada advises Canadians to avoid travelling to countries in the Southern African region and will continue to monitor the situation to inform current or future actions,” officers stated, warning that vacationers leaving Canada may very well be compelled to stay exterior of the nation longer than anticipated because the worldwide journey state of affairs may change at a second’s discover.
Canada’s Public Health Agency stated Sunday it has a monitoring program in place to establish new variants of the virus, comparable to omicron. “As the monitoring continues, it is expected that other cases of this variant will be found in Canada and other countries.”
The Omicron variant has already additionally been detected in Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Botswana, Israel, Australia and Hong Kong. Israel has sealed its borders to all vacationers for 14 days as an excessive measure of warning in opposition to the brand new variant, efficient on Sunday evening.
The Omicron variant has been detected across the globe, together with Australia. Authorities stated that two passengers touring from South Africa to Sydney have examined optimistic for the variant. AP / Mark Baker
The US State Department on Saturday warned Americans in opposition to touring to South Africa and 7 of its neighbors –additionally not together with Nigeria — amidst rising fears of the brand new COVID-19 Omicron variant. Travel to the area will halt on Monday.
The signs of the omicron variant seem like milder than others such because the delta variant, nevertheless Fauci on Sunday warned that the brand new Omicron variant is “troublesome” as a result of it comprises probably dozens of mutations that would evade immunity from previous infections and vaccines.
Fauci and National Institute of Health Director Francis Collins have urged Americans to get the vaccine as it could present the perfect protection in opposition to the brand new variant.
