Canada adds three more African countries to omicron-related COVID-19 travel ban

The federal government has added three more African countries to their travel ban related to the new COVID-19 variant omicron.

Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt have been added to the list of countries where foreign nationals are barred from entering Canada if they have been to those countries in the last two weeks.

The other countries the ban is in effect for include South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Canadians and permanent residents returning from the 10 countries will be tested on arrival and will need to quarantine until they get result of negative test. If they receive a negative test they can finish their quarantine at home. They will have to be tested again on their eighth day of quarantine.

Unvaccinated travellers will be required to remain in a designated quarantine facility for their entire quarantine period.

Canada is also requiring all air travellers coming into the country, apart from those from United States, to be tested at the airport even if vaccinated. They will also be required to isolate until they get their test result.

Health officials are still working with the provinces on whether to extend the testing requirement to the United States as well for both land and air travellers.

All four of the confirmed cases reported in Ottawa were related to travel from Nigeria. The confirmed case from Alberta also travelled through Nigeria.

More to come.