At least 143 flights with COVID-19 on board passed through B.C. airports in July
As COVID-19 cases surge in B.C. and across North America, the number of exposures to the disease on flights in and out of the province is also rising.
As of Wednesday, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control had reported 143 flights involving B.C. airports that had at least one confirmed case of the coronavirus on board in the month of July.
That's the highest monthly total the BCCDC has reported since April, when provincial airports saw a record 261 exposure notifications at the height of the pandemic's third wave.
The number of exposures reported in July is likely to continue to climb as more people who flew near the end of the month test positive for COVID-19 and have their contacts traced.
July's numbers continue a trend in which the number of flight exposures largely mirrors the number of cases being reported in the province, overall.
During the months of May and June, as infections in B.C. were trending downward and restrictions were being lifted, the number of flights with the coronavirus on board also declined.
The July increase came alongside notable changes in travel rules and recommendations in Canada.
When B.C. entered Step 3 of its restart plan on July 1, it officially stopped discouraging recreational travel to other provinces. While there was never a legal ban on it, non-essential travel within Canada was not recommended earlier in the pandemic.
Similarly, on July 6, the federal government began allowing fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents to return from abroad without having to quarantine.
So far, the changes have not decoupled flight exposures from the overall trend in B.C.'s caseload. The graph of flight exposures continues to look very similar to the graph of daily new cases in B.C.
With Canada scheduled to expand the exemption to quarantine rules to include fully vaccinated Americans as of Aug. 9, CTV News Vancouver will continue monitoring the number of flights with cases on board to see if it continues to follow the overall trend in cases in B.C.
Notably, most of the flights with COVID-19 on board in B.C. since the pandemic began have been domestic, rather than international.
July's 143 flights included 55 that were international, the largest number of international flights with COVID-19 cases on board ever recorded in a month, according to BCCDC data.
Studies have shown that the risk of contracting COVID-19 on an airplane is low, though there have been some examples of it happening.
The full list of B.C. flights with COVID-19 exposures can be found on the BCCDC website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.