First mutant COVID-19 scenario claimed in B.C. after flight from U.K. to Vancouver

An asymptomatic traveller who arrived in Vancouver from London 12 days ago has been confirmed as the initial carrier of the new, extra infectious COVID variant into B.C.

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A passenger returning to Vancouver onboard an Air Canada flight on Dec. 15 has analyzed good to the new much more infectious COVID variant.

Provincial overall health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed on Sunday that the passenger on Air Canada Flight 855 arrived on Dec. 15 with no signs and tested favourable on Dec. 19 (even though in necessary two-week self isolation). That man or woman is on Vancouver Island.

The B.C. Centre for Condition Command 1st noted that COVID-19 flight exposure on Dec. 21, indicating it influenced rows 34-40.

“Whole genome sequencing at the BCCDC discovered this as the exact same as the variant noticed in the U.K.,” said Henry, who anticipated a lot more variant scenarios in B.C.

The BCCDC is examining all checks from folks not long ago returned from vacation to the U.K.

The exact day (Dec. 19) the Vancouver Island resident examined good, an additional Air Canada flight arrived in Vancouver from London with a COVID publicity. This impacted rows 4-8 and 24-30, suggesting two cases.

There were also COVID-optimistic passengers onboard Air Canada flights arriving in Vancouver on Dec. 10 (rows 35-42) and Nov. 12 (rows 18-24), in accordance to BCCDC documents.

Air Canada was the only airline flying travellers into Vancouver from the U.K. before the Canada-wide ban on inbound U.K. flights was set into influence until at least Jan. 6.

The a lot more infectious COVID-19 variant was reported in the U.K. two months ago and has led to many countries proscribing flights arriving from the island country.

On Saturday, Public Health and fitness Ontario described Canada’s first mutant instances in a pair from the Durham area, east of Toronto, that had been in recent get in touch with with another person who returned from the U.K.

There was also a new variant circumstance described in Ottawa on Sunday.

The Public Health and fitness Company of Canada states the new variant may perhaps be more transmissible, but has not established to be far more dangerous or to effect vaccine efficiency.

According to a review produced Sunday by the Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Health conditions at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Drugs, the variant is 56 for each cent extra transmissible than other strains.

The initially flight publicity in B.C. was on Royal Dutch Airways Flight 681 on March 7 from Amsterdam to Vancouver. Due to the fact then, there have been at the very least 160 exposures on intercontinental flights arriving in Vancouver.

Connected

B.C. details introduced on Thursday reveals 8,865 active cases of COVID-19 in B.C., of which 341 are in healthcare facility (such as 78 in intense treatment.)

To day, 808 British Columbians have died sort the virus, and 9,732 are under public health and fitness checking subsequent exposure to a constructive circumstance.

The U.S. now calls for anyone arriving from the U.K. to give proof of a COVID-19 unfavorable take a look at final result, though the Ontario government is contacting for obligatory COVID screening for new arrivals at airports and is trying to find govt funding.

— with documents from Bloomberg and Canadian Push

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