Two Nigerian Travellers Test Positive For Omicron COVID Variant In Canada

The agency said early data suggest the Omicron variant may be more transmissible than earlier iterations of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Ministry of Health in Ontairo, Canada, has confirmed two cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant in two individuals who recently travelled from Nigeria.

In a statement, the health ministry said Ottawa Public Health is conducting case and contact management.

[COVID-19] NCDC Confirms 36 New Cases

[COVID-19] NCDC Reports 34 New Cases

“Today, the province of Ontario has confirmed two cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Ottawa, both of which were reported in individuals with recent travel from Nigeria”, the ministry said.

“In addition to the measures recently announced, we continue to urge the federal government to take the necessary steps to mandate point-of-arrival testing for all travellers irrespective of where they’re coming from to further protect against the spread of this new variant.”

Federal Health Minister, Jean-Yves Duclos, also confirmed Canada’s first two cases, saying he was working with the province’s public health officials to contact trace the cases.

“As the monitoring and testing continues with provinces and territories, it is expected that other cases of this variant will be found in Canada,” Duclos said in a statement.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said genomic monitoring, as well as border surveillance, identified the cases.

The agency said early data suggest the Omicron variant may be more transmissible than earlier iterations of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

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