More than 400 international flights to Canada in July carried positive COVID-19 cases: report
Posted August 5, 2021 12:32 pm.
Last Updated August 5, 2021 12:49 pm.
More than 400 international flights landing in this country last month were carrying positive cases of COVID-19 despite a mandatory requirement for negative tests before people get on a plane.
The Toronto Sun reports most of the 435 flights (133) arrived from the U.S., with Los Angeles leading by Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Denver and Chicago.
Amsterdam topped the infection rate for overseas planes at 31, but double-digit numbers were from Paris, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Mexico City, and London.
The bulk of the infected passengers landed in Toronto and Montreal.
The Public Health Agency of Canada recently issued fines to two passengers arriving in Toronto from the U.S. during the week of July 18 for non-compliance with entry requirements.
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As a result, each passenger must pay fines totalling nearly $20,000 for submitting “false documentation” and failing to comply with quarantine and testing requirements.
Fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents will be allowed to cross into Canada beginning Monday. As of September 7, all other foreign nationals who qualify as fully vaccinated can enter the country.
The U.S., however, citing concerns about the Delta variant, has extended its own restrictions at land crossing points until August 21. And while he didn’t specifically mention Canada, Jeff Zients, who oversees the White House COVID-19 response, suggested Thursday that the U.S. is not in any hurry to ease its current limits on inbound travel.
“Given where we are today on the prevalence of the Delta variant, the United States will maintain the existing travel restrictions at this point,” Zients told a media briefing.
Interagency working groups established by the White House to examine the issue of international travel are actively exploring how best to allow travel to resume when the time comes, he added – including whether to require proof of vaccination.
With files from The Associated Press
