11.79°C Vancouver

Nov 26, 2021 10:34 PM - The Canadian Press

Variant prompts Canada to bring in ban on travellers from southern Africa

Share On
variant-prompts-canada-to-bring-in-ban-on-travellers-from-southern-africa
Canada has banned visitors from southern Africa after the discovery of a new variant of concern in the region. (Photo - Omar Alghabra/Twitter)

Canada has banned visitors from southern Africa after the discovery of a new variant of concern in the region.

The new variant, deemed Omicron, first emerged in South Africa and coincided with a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in that region in recent weeks, according to the World Health Organization.

The ban will apply to foreign nationals who transited through a list of seven countries in the last 14 days, including South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Namibia and eSwatini.

Those already in Canada who recently travelled through the region will need to quarantine, and be tested for COVID-19.

Global Affairs is also issuing an advisory to discourage non-essential travel to South Africa and neighbouring countries.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents arriving home from the region must get a COVID-19 test before they return, and will need to quarantine at a designated hotel until their entry test proves negative.

After that they will be able to isolate at home until they test negative ten days after arrival.

Currently there are no direct flights from southern Africa to Canada.

``We know very little about this variant right now,'' Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said at a briefing Friday.

The mutations that have been detected show the potential for greater transmissibility, she said, and she won't be surprised to see cases crop up in Canada.

``This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning,'' the WHO wrote in a statement Friday.

``Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other (variants of concern.)''

Opposition parties and provincial premiers have called for strict border measures to prevent cases of the potentially dangerous new variant from being imported into Canada.

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole had called on the Canadian government to issue travel advisories, banning non-essential travel to and from the region earlier Friday morning.

``With reports of the spread of a new COVID-19 variant, we have a small window of opportunity to act, and we must move now,'' O'Toole said in a statement.

The party was critical when the government delayed closing Canada's borders at the outset of the pandemic in 2020.

The premiers for Alberta, Ontario and Quebec also called for all travellers originating from those countries to be banned from Canada until more is known about the variant.

Researchers are already working to learn more about the effects of this new variant, according to WHO's COVID-19 technical lead Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove.

``Researchers are getting together to understand where these mutations are, and what that potentially may mean for our diagnostics or therapeutics in our vaccines,'' she said at a briefing Thursday.

Latest news

mps-launch-probe-of-trucking-sector-after-bloc-calls-out-labour-standards
CanadaOct 07, 2025

MPs launch probe of trucking sector after Bloc calls out labour standards

A House of Commons committee is set to launch a study of labour standards in the trucking sector today after the Bloc Québécois called on the government to end what it calls exploitative practices. The transport committee is launching a study of an industry business model which sees transport companies classify drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. The Canadian Trucking Alliance has called the model the "largest tax, labour misclassification, safety and human trafficking scheme in Canada," arguing that it manipulates the tax base and jeopardizes the health and safety of C
BCOct 07, 2025

Province to remove barriers, make way for more child care at schools

The Province has introduced legislation to enable school districts in B.C. to support families with more child care on school grounds. “As a parent, I know that finding safe, convenient and affordable child care is a top priority for young families, but it’s not always easy,” said Premier David Eby. “We are building a seamless child care system in our province that supports parents from the early years through to graduation. This legislation is the first step on the path to getting more child care on school grounds all across our province. Using our existing infrastructure and partneri
drugs-cash-firearm-seized-from-local-motel
BCOct 07, 2025

Drugs, cash, firearm seized from local motel

Prince George RCMP Frontline police officers made a significant seizure of drugs and cash in late September, from a motel on the 900-block of Victoria Street, while attending to an unrelated investigation at the location. “In total, investigators seized approximately 100 grams combined of suspected fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine, and over $40,000 in cash. A firearm was also located in the room and seized,” states Corporal Jennifer Cooper, Media Relations Officer for the Prince George RCMP. Through the course of the investigation, one man was arrested on multiple firearms o
pm-mark-carney-meets-president-donald-trump
WorldOct 07, 2025

PM Mark Carney meets President Donald Trump

PM Mark Carney met President Donald Trump today for the second time in nearly six months. Trump, while meeting Carney at the White House, described the trade talks with Canada as more complicated than any other and said that there is a "natural conflict" on trade due to the geographic proximity between the US and Canada. Trump said that I love Canada and the people of Canada but we have trade interests and we are working on a formula and we will get there. During this, he also discussed the Golden Dome defense system with reporters, Trump said that he and Carney will work together on the G
arvind-kejriwal-on-punjab-visit-again
IndiaOct 07, 2025

Arvind Kejriwal on Punjab visit again

Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal is coming to Punjab for two days. He will inaugurate power transmission and distribution projects in Jalandhar with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday. The project has cost Rs 5 thousand crore. Apart from this, Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will also visit Bathinda. Where they will lay the foundation stone of 3100 new playgrounds. Earlier, Arvind Kejriwal had visited Punjab on September 5, when Punjab was under the impact of floods. During that time, he was scheduled to visit various districts of Punjab with Chief Minister B

Related News