Omicron variant: B.C. working to confirm recent travellers not infected
The B.C. government is working to confirm the troubling new Omicron COVID-19 variant hasn't been inadvertently introduced into the province by recently returned travellers.
Health officials noted they are continuously tracking the presence of emerging variants using whole genome sequencing, and that there's no evidence to suggest Omicron has reached the province yet.
The variant was first discovered in South Africa, but has since been reported in several other countries, including Belgium, Israel and Hong Kong.
Dr. Brian Conway of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre noted that what separates the latest variant of concern apart from previous strains is the unusually high number of mutations.
"There are much more genetic changes in the surface spike protein, and that is the target for the vaccine," Conway said. "That's really why there is a big concern."
The impacts of those mutations on transmissibility, severity of illness and vaccine resistance have yet to be determined, but the potential has prompted a number of countries to begin taking precautionary actions to contain the spread.
On Friday, the Canadian government banned the entry of any foreign nationals who have been to South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho or Eswatini over the last 14 days.
In a joint written statement, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry applauded the decision to impose the federal travel restriction, and outlined local efforts to monitor for the variant.
That includes working with the Canada Border Services Agency to "identify any people recently returned from the areas of concern to arrange testing and to ensure they remain well," Dix and Henry said.
There's no indication of how many travellers have recently returned to the province from those areas.
In the meantime, health officials stressed the importance of getting vaccinated to limit overall transmission of COVID-19.
"So far, all of the Health Canada-approved vaccines are highly effective and provide strong protection against all variants. We will monitor the data on this new VOC to ensure that will continue to be the case," Dix and Henry said. "Reducing transmission and having high levels of protection through vaccination continues to be our best defence against all variants of COVID-19."
The federal government has confirmed there are currently no direct flights scheduled from the southern African countries into Canada.
Any returning citizens or permanent residents will be required to quarantine for two weeks, even if they're fully vaccinated, officials said.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Travis Prasad
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.