VANCOUVER --
There were passengers with COVID-19 on flights into Vancouver from Texas, California, Quebec and B.C.'s Okanagan last week, according to health officials.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control said coronavirus cases were identified on four recent flights to Vancouver International Airport, and that all passengers should self-isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
The affected flights are American Airlines 1270 from Dallas on July 6, Air Canada 8421 from Kelowna on July 6, United Airlines 375 from San Francisco on July 7 and Air Canada 311 from Montreal on July 8.
Passengers on international flights are required by law to quarantine for two weeks after arriving into B.C., regardless of whether they were potentially exposed to the virus on board.
Travellers used to be notified directly if they were seated near someone who was later determined to have COVID-19, but now the information is posted online at the BCCDC website instead.
Sometimes health officials specify the "affected seats" on the flights, meaning only passengers who were sitting in those areas need to self-isolate.
Otherwise, everyone on board is asked to quarantine – which is the case for all four of last week's flights into YVR.
Health officials are currently dealing with a number of COVID-19 "exposure events" in Kelowna after eight people, most of them from B.C.'s Lower Mainland, attended indoor parties and visited businesses in the city's downtown and waterfront areas in late June and early July.
On Monday, the B.C. Ministry of Health confirmed the case identified on the July 6 flight from Kelowna to Vancouver was not related to the other exposure concerns in the city.
The BCCDC has identified COVID-19 infections on a total of 11 international and domestic flights to and from Vancouver since the start of June, including on flights from VYR to Edmonton and Calgary.
The entire list of affected flights is available on the B.C. Centre for Disease Control website.
