Coronavirus: What’s Happening in Canada and Around the World on Saturday?

The latest:

A total of 61 people who arrived in the Netherlands on two flights from South Africa on Friday tested positive for coronavirus and were in isolation on Saturday as the world eagerly sought to contain a new variant of coronavirus.

Further testing is now underway with the travelers who arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to determine if any of them have the new variant, called omicron, which was first discovered in southern Africa.

The variant’s seemingly rapid spread among young people in South Africa has alerted health professionals. Research is underway to determine if the mutations found in omicron make it more contagious and transmissible.

Two planes arrived in the Netherlands from Johannesburg and Cape Town shortly after the Dutch government, along with many other nations around the world, on Friday imposed a ban on flights from South African nations following the discovery of the new omicron variant.

Passengers traveling from South Africa are queuing for COVID-19 tests after being held on the tarmac at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on Friday. (Social Media / Reuters)

The Kennemerland local health authority, which is responsible for the test and isolation operation, said in an update Saturday that people who tested positive should be quarantined for seven days if they have symptoms and five days if they are symptom-free.

The 539 travelers tested negative were allowed to return home or continue their travels to other countries. According to government regulations, those who live in the Netherlands and are allowed to return home must isolate themselves for at least five days.

On Friday, Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced five measures in response to concerns over the variant, also known as B.1.1.529:

• All foreign nationals who have traveled through South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini or Mozambique within the last 14 days will be barred from entering Canada.
• Those who have arrived in Canada within the last 14 days from these countries will be asked to quarantine immediately until they receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
• Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be allowed to return home from these countries, but will be required to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival and wait for results at a hotel. If the test is negative, they must be quarantined for 14 days at home and must take another test on the eighth day of quarantine.
• Global Affairs Canada is issuing a travel ad asking Canadians not to visit southern Africa for now.
• Canadians returning from this region must be tested in the last country they traveled through before returning home (there are currently no direct flights between the region and Canada).

A number of European nations are implementing similar policies, including Italy, which on Friday said it would ban entry into the country for anyone who has been to South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini for the past 14 days.

The United Kingdom announced that it was suspending flights from South Africa and five other South African countries, except Mozambique. British or Irish residents arriving from these countries after 1 p.m. 4 local time Sunday, will face a mandatory hotel quarantine, while those returning before that will be asked to isolate themselves at home.

The United States plans to ban flights from eight South African countries, adding Malawi to its list from Monday. The White House said restrictions will not apply to returning U.S. citizens or residents who will continue to be required to test negative before their trip.

The new variant has been discovered in Botswana and among travelers in Hong Kong and Israel. Belgium became the first EU country to announce a case on the variant on Friday. On Saturday, Britain confirmed two cases of the omicron variant, while Germany indicated it has a likely case.

A minister in the German state of Hesse said on Saturday that the variant may have arrived in Germany via a traveler returning from South Africa. Czech health authorities said they were investigating a suspected case of the variant in a person who spent time in Namibia.

SE | Will existing vaccines protect against the omicron variant?

COVID-19: Will existing vaccines protect against the omicron variant?

Infection specialists Dr. Isaac Bogoch and Dr. Susy Hota discusses whether existing COVID-19 vaccines will help protect people from the omicron variant and whether people should change their behavior. 6:46

At present, the variant has not been detected in Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Friday.

“We know very little about this variant right now,” said Canada’s head of public health, Dr. Theresa Tam, at a briefing Friday.

The mutations that have been discovered show the potential for greater transmissibility, she said, and could reduce natural immunity and even the immunity that vaccines offer.

“We are concerned about this new variant and are closely monitoring the evolving situation,” she said.

---

What’s happening in Canada

SE | Vaccines for younger children, boosters for adults can help prevent 5th wave, experts say:

Child vaccinations, booster shots are the key to preventing the 5th COVID-19 wave

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations for younger children as well as boosters for adults is expected to play a key role in helping prevent a fifth wave of COVID-19, experts say. 2:01

---

What’s going on around the world

As of Saturday morning, more than 260.8 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus database. The reported global death toll was more than 5.1 million.

IN Europe, Britain’s main opposition party Labor said on Saturday that Britain should cut the distance between the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and the booster jab from six to five months.

“This new [omicron] variant is a wake-up call, “said Alex Norris, Labor’s junior health spokesman.” The pandemic is not over. We need to immediately strengthen our defenses to keep the virus at bay. “

In it Asia-Pacific region, Australia said on Saturday it would ban non-citizens who have been to nine South African countries from entering and demanding supervised 14-day quarantines for Australian nationals and their relatives returning from there.

Australia said the countries on its list of restrictions include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, the Seychelles, Malawi and Mozambique.

IN Africa, the women’s cricket World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe has been canceled following the discovery of the omicron variant, which has caused travel restrictions, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Saturday.

The ICC made the decision after Saturday’s match between the West Indies and Sri Lanka was canceled when a member of the Sri Lankan support staff tested positive for COVID-19.

SE | ‘Long list of things we do not know’ about the omicron variant, says specialist:

‘Long list of things we do not know’ about the omicron variant, says specialist

Specialist in infectious diseases Dr. Allison McGeer answers your questions about the COVID-19 and the omicron variant, as many countries including Canada are moving to limit travel after the variant was first discovered in South Africa. 7:16

IN Asia, Japan will impose restrictions on travelers from the South African nations of Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, requiring a 10-day quarantine for all participants, in an effort to stop the spread of the newly discovered coronavirus variant, the country’s foreign ministry said on Saturday. .

The new rules take effect from midnight on Saturday and come the day after Japan tightens border controls for those arriving from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Lesotho.