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U.K. flights banned from landing in Manitoba after discovery of several cases of new COVID variant

Manitoba has banned flights from the United Kingdom from landing in the province until Jan. 6 after discovery of several cases of the new COVID-19 variant in Canada.
covid 19

Manitoba has banned flights from the United Kingdom from landing in the province until Jan. 6 after discovery of several cases of the new COVID-19 variant in Canada.*

The new variant of the virus has spread rapidly within the UK, according to Public Health England, which says the variant has substantially grater transmissibility than standard COVID-19 but Manitoba ba says there is no evidence that it causes more severe symptoms or affects vaccine effectiveness.

Manitoba public health officials say travel outside of the province should be for essential purposes only and that all international travellers returning to Manitoba should self-isolate for 14 days and get tested for COVID-19 immediately upon returning.

Testing for the new variant and for other COVID-19 variants like one identified in South Africa takes time, the province says, and which type of COVID-19 people who test positive for the virus have is not known at the time they are informed of their test results. Additional followup will occur with those who turn out to have the new variant from the UK to ensure further transmission is as limited as possible.

* The original version of this story said cases of the new variant have ben found in the province. the thompson citizen apologizes for the error.

 

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