Maritime provinces testing some travellers for COVID-19 Omicron variant
The new COVID-19 variant has Maritime public health officials on alert.
On Friday, federal counterparts notified Maritime officials of travellers who had already arrived in the region over the past 14 days from countries in southern Africa flagged by Ottawa – a list of nations that has grown as of Monday.
Travellers from 10 nations in the area are now banned from entering Canada.
“We have ten people that were identified as being recent travellers to southern Africa,” says Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang.
Strang says those people were all tested and results are pending.
A number of travellers to Prince Edward Island were also identified, although a provincial representative didn’t respond by deadline when CTV inquired.
Eight people arriving in New Brunswick were also identified and tested.
All of the travellers are now in quarantine.
“We're going to continue to do that kind of surveillance again with PCR testing for international travellers,” says Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health.
Both Strang and Russell say the labs in their respective provinces can screen samples for the Omicron variant. Those results would then be confirmed by the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, while P.E.I. sends all its positive COVID-19 results there anyway.
P.E.I. Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison, says getting a confirmation of a variant normally takes several days.
“We send all of them, regardless of the positives cases and their travel history,” she says.
All three officials say the region is in a good position to deal with the likelihood of Omicron’s eventual arrival.
“We have low levels of virus circulation, we have high levels of vaccine coverage,” says Strang. “And we still have some strong measures in place.”
All necessary, he says, to keeping Omicron – or any variant – at bay.
Meanwhile, the federal government announced new requirements for all international travellers to Canada. All of them, except for those coming from the United States, now have to be tested at the airport upon arrival.
As for whether provincial officials will be taking any extra measures, they say they are waiting for more information.
Morrison says getting a better understanding of the variant is a key part of making those decisions.
“Are we doing everything we can to protect Islanders, when we don't know everything yet about this variant and how effective our vaccine is against it?” Morrison asks.
“It does mean that we are evaluating if there are any other additional changes and measures and recommendations that we need to consider,” says Russell.
Those discussions will take place in earnest this week, as the federal government tracks the variant around the world and in Canada.
Meanwhile, at a COVID-19 testing center in Halifax on Tuesday, some Nova Scotians took the news of a new variant in stride.
Jeff Kowalski and his wife brought their three-year-old daughter for testing after an exposure notice at her daycare.
“We're obviously concerned but I think we've been safe and careful and we'll just keep continuing what we've been doing,” he says.
Rachel Wozney came to get tested after returning from a trip to P.E.I.
“We've been able to quell all the outbreaks as they crop up,” Wozney says. “And I’m sure that we'll be able to handle this as well if it makes its way here.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.